Saved
by Beast Master12
Summary: Natu's world is normal as far as normal goes for a SWAT agent. Things change when him & his team are forced to move out on a covert S&R mission that lands him in front of a rare breed...A very rare breed indeed. Lucy, a mythical mermaid gets recklessly capture by greedy researchers and they'll stop at nothing get the results they're looking for. -Alternating FPV (Lucy-Natsu)
1. Chapter 1: Prologue

**Chapter 1**

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(Lucy)

I've been here for day's maybe weeks or even years, I don't quite remember. I've been inside this cramped tube for who knows how long. Why am I in such a thing? Well, for sure I'm not here on my own accord; I was abducted from my home and shipped here for selfish, scientific research. You see I'm not from on-land like the two-footed creatures called Humans. I'm from the sea where there is endless space and bottomless depths, kind of the opposite world of dried up dirt-land.

I'm what they call a mermaid; unlike humans who have two legs to carry them we have one fin to help us move about through water. I was careless at the time and got to close to the surface and way to close to land. A fishing boat had some how got up behind me and I got helplessly caught in its nets. Shocked and amazed of what I am, they were quick to contact the people who are curious of the unknown. Sure they can be curious but they don't have to be cruel to get their answers, but well, if only I was taken to one of those _nicer_ facilities. If there is any.

I was probed, tortured, tested on, and any other method you could possibly come up with for getting results. I'm tired and sick of this life I was given for my first experience on land but it also wasn't exactly like I wanted to go on land in the first place. My hatred towards this place grew so much more once I noticed who else was here with me. 2 weeks ago the workers of this place strolled passed my tube with one similar to the very one I was trapped in. There wasn't anything in it at the time but minutes later they had returned with it now filled to the brim with the same light green liquid gel that restricted my movements. My best friend, my sister, my only family; Levy Mcgarden was floating in it. By the state of her, she was drifting in and out of consciousness, her eyes swollen from tears and fogged from being drug much like I was when they first brought me here.

And I never saw her again since, they still tested on me, doing unthinkable things to me but never did I ever worry about myself after knowing that Levy was here too. Every second, every minute, every moment I knew Levy was still here somewhere, I feared for her. Feared for what they could be doing to her, she wasn't like me.

She was the girl who stayed in the Aqua Library every free time she gets, she didn't venture out like I did. She didn't have the same strong will to hold onto sanity like I can. She wasn't weak but she certainly wasn't as strong as the average mermaid, Levy was a gentle soul not a courageous one or tough skinned. But I also knew she wasn't one to give up, she'll hold on as long as she can and hopefully that is long enough for me to some how find a way out of this nightmare mess.

Another week went by and I keep counting the days she was still trapped in another room, possibly going through the same treatment I did. Hopefully not worst, but it constantly worried me to no end not knowing what to do or how to do anything at all to stop this viscous cycle of torture.

Then finally a day came when everything changed, a day where help arrived.

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**So I know I'm in the middle of another story, and a long term one at that but I simply could hold back this awesome idea of a story line. I like to give credit to the people on Tumble who created the idea in the first place. **

**This is my version of it. It'll be posted in very short chapters, only a couple hundred words long, a thousand or more at most. I want to try and keep the length at a minimum, so maybe 10 chapters long? Hopefully less.**

**Please comment &amp; review. Thanks.**


	2. Chapter 2: Late News

**Chapter 2**

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(Natsu)

We had received Intel on a near by facility that captured rare animals and was doing illegal tests on them. I'm not one to care much about animals in general but I cared more about what's happening to them. They're not human but they can't fight back, they're helpless and don't deserve that kind of horrible treatment.

The call came in a week ago but because the government didn't see it as a big problem they were never given the go ahead on the mission. That was until the 'National Animal Safety Society' or NASS for short. They took it upon themselves to take the problem to the public and announced that their own government has neglected its concern towards animal welfare. With that the higher ups hand no other choice but to lift a hand towards the call.

All of my team was already in the equipment room putting on their gear. I had just finished strapping my handgun to its hustler on my hip when my team got themselves in line. I straightened my posture as I stared at Team Natsu's members.

Staring from the right was my enemy and as well as my closes friend; Gray Fullbuster. To his left was Elfman Strauss a well powerfully built man and the middle brother of two sisters. And finally there's Gajeel Redox, the second in command and my rival in both skill and leadership.

"Alright boys, our objective lies 3 miles West on the outskirt of the city's urban area. We only got one shot at this so there's no room to mess ups, failure means capture or worst the result of the death of one of our own or possible all of us."

The crew shifted their weight due to the heavy pressure of their equipment, I continued.

"Even thought its only animals were going in for, they're rare animals. They're to be saved as if they're humans too."

I gave each and every one of them a stern look, making it clear to them that this was a real mission not just one of our side one which were on a much easier level. They in turn gave me an expression that said, 'yeah, yeah.' After staring them down a little long and feeling satisfied with their response, I tossed them the signal to move out. They immediately shuffled out of the locker rooms to migrate down to the garage where our transport was waiting for us.

We all jumped into the sandy colored Jeep Wrangler and left HQ due Westwards. We barely talked on the way to our drop off point, only small chitchat and discussions about the plan of infiltration whispered through the small compartment of the vehicle. The final decision was to remain out of sight and prevent the extraction of the rare animals at all cost. Our secondary mission is to successfully subdue and capture as many employees alive; guns on safety and only return fire, never shot first. Of course if and only IF necessary, they're allowed to shot first depending on the situation at hand.

The Jeep stopped short 1/4 a mile from destination point; the facility ran both above and underground, this place was well insured and most likely has high priced alarm systems installed. Even this far out of the buildings perimeter, no doubt to give them time to move their so-called merchandise so a safer location.

The chauffeur turned the car around right after all of us got out, before leaving it came to another stop beside my team. The window went down to allow the driver to give us the last of what we need to know about this mission.

"Contact Fairy Tail when the mission is complete, if we don't hear from you and your team in the next 48 hours we'll presume that either you've been compromised and captured, or that you've all been kill in action."

The driver gave us a salute before rolling the window back up and turning to face the road, the Jeeps spat dirt at us as it moved far and fast away from us. I keep watch until I couldn't see the car any more, once gone I turned back to the direction of the facility to survey the situation.

"Getting anything Iron Eater?"

Gray called Gajeel by his code name while pulling out his own binoculars; he looked through it, scanning the half barren and half fertile landscape. He had hoped to see what the second in command could see but to no avail his perspective skills weren't as good.

"We got a couple cameras camouflaged into some bushes. Looks like they got some laser dictators installed on some treetops and branches. This is some serious shit, they must of paid a fortune for how well those devices are hidden."

Gray looked at him with the look of 'how the hell did you see all that!?' He was so confused it was priceless to watch, after admitting defeat he passed on his binoculars to me. I took it out of his hands and made an assessment of my own of the stretched out landscape ahead of us. Gajeel was right there was some seriously well-hidden devices, possible some that even Gajeel and I can see from this distance.

"Alright, seems approaching this place will be much harder than we expected. It's clear to us that they, who ever they are, want to keep this place a secret."

I gave back the magnifying device back to Gray and he hocked it back to his belt for future use. In all seriousness getting in now was so much harder than they had planned, my team, even HQ didn't know they had this level of security. But I wasn't about to let that scare us, not that my team was ever scared for the beginning. I glance back to inspect each of my member's response to this new development.

They're calm and collected, just how I expected them to be; each and every one on this team has been through a lot and due to multiple certain events we all have developed the necessary skill set for this kind of job. That's why Fairy Tail sent us on this mission in the first place.

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**I hope I've already warned you but this wasn't my original idea so I don't get credit for it! I simply took it upon myself to express my version of what the story line could go if it had been me who had came up with it first. Again not my original idea, my story line.,**

**Also I'll warn you now that, yes I'm not the best grammatically correct person in the world and I'm still human so mistakes are a given. YOU. HAVE. BEEN. WARNED!~**


	3. Chapter 3: Torture

**Chapter 3**

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(Lucy)

That day had been the worst day out of all the days since I've been with held inside this cramped and semi-gelatin filled tude. They were hurrying the experiments along more It was as if they knew something was heading their way, maybe it was because of the human lady inside this black glassed front box was saying. It was yesterday afternoon when this whole ordeal started up.

"_In the last couple of days, ever since an anonymous tip about the illegal abduction and testings on rare animals came in, the governments front steps have been filled with people who are taking it upon themselves to express their displeasure about the silence to the matter."_

A text ran across the screen below the beautiful white haired woman that was speaking with a dramatic effect to her voice. The text read: '**has the government now allowed animal cruelty? Have they neglected to keep their word on the Animal Rights Act?'**

At the time I wasn't so sure what she was talking about but I did know that she was speaking on my, our behalf, and was trying to some how get people to act on what they're doing here. There's that and the fact that everyone present at the time of the showing were getting all stressed and worried about it. People were yelling about moving all of the 'Subjects' as they called us, elsewhere. I knew we; Levy and I, were one of those so called Subject, it also sounded like there were more of us in this god forsaken place, either more merfolk or other rare species much like my kind.

With all of what they have done to me thus far I presume that these people want to know how we merfolk even exist, how half human, half fish like creature survived in this world and not be spotted and exposed to the general public. That was because we knew the cruelty of the human kind, either they're curious about what we are or afraid of what we can do. Either way co-existing was never an option and left us to remain a myth for the rest of time.

But my mistake might of change all that, I had given away that merfolk do indeed exist and I had ended up dragging Levy into it too. I knew she came looking for me after I had so obviously never returned or given word to what I was up to, not like I could anyway.

What they did me so far was so much more excruciating that ever before, they had pierced my gills with think needles to extract some of my oxygen partials and other scientific genetics that could possible prove how I breath underwater. The act lasted a whole of 30 minutes, they hand bluntly placed a giant timer on the wall, its numbers glowing red and slowly blurring as the pain consumed me. When they pulled the needles out I couldn't breath normally and it felt like someone had just crushed my windpipe.

Followed by the needles, they plucking out hundreds of my scales from multiple places on my tail. After they let me calmed down from all screaming I did caused by the pain I quick looked at the state of my body, I had been avoid looking at myself in any type of reflection. To scared to see the fright in my eyes, to see the permanent damage done to my skin but this time I had to look. Batches of red and irritated skin showed in spots, a circle the sized of a small wall clock face was located right bellow my right hip. Many other small spots scatters around my tail until it reach the end where my fins connected.

They continued on to getting the D.N.A of my fins their hurrying cause them to be rougher than usual and one of he workers ended up ripping my fin a great deal. With that one injury I won't be able to swim anywhere for the next couple of months, our fins at the end of our tails are delicate like a butterflies just ours heal back unlike the rather pretty insect.

The pain of it all was so intense I had blacked out the moment my fins ripped; it was a darkness I welcomed for a change. The torture didn't end there though, the moment I woke up from my blissful black out, and the first thing I noticed was that something was strapped onto my spin. It was flexible, but still metallic, I knew from the cold lifeless touch it had. I was frozen in place from fear that this new device could be something so much worst than what they have all done together, I was right.

The moment I even moved or twitched the secondary spin sent bolts of electrifying pain, so much I couldn't manage a scream or even a squeak. The first shock forced me to arch my back as if it tried to get away from the device, my mouth open in an attempt to let out a sound that never came. My eyes were open but I was seeing darkness, small flashed of white light that coincided with the pain, blinked within that darkness. After the pain subsided slightly enough for me to see my surroundings; it's as if I was watching it from an old film.

One man, who I was able to distinctly label as their head scientist, approached my prison with confident strides. Once he was no more than a couple feet away he stopped and put his hands behind his back, he had the air of a man from the military around him. He saw me looking at him and his lips curved into a sneer; my ears were ringing so I could hear if he was laughing at me but I had this strong feeling he was.

"You haven't so much let out a word of plea, all we've been getting are your screams of pain."

The man said, he said so plainly, anyone could tell he didn't have a shred of remorse about what he has been doing to her. So normally that it chilled me to the bone, I wanted nothing more now then to escape this mans clutches and bring Levy even further away from him then myself. That man was to never be trusted and I most certainly don't trust Levy to be in his care. While my thoughts raved about how I didn't want Levy here another minute the baster clapped his hands to get both his piers and my attention.

I noticed that the more I squinted my eyes the clearer my eye sight was, I did my best not to move anymore than I had to to be able to fully glare and squinted at the despicable being before me. But he didn't seem to take notice of me trying to glare holes through his ugly mug of a face; all he did was stare at me in silences. There was a long pause so it made me jump when he finally opened his mouth again, to no doubt bark out orders again. The jump caused me to convulse into a ball, praying, hoping the pain will stop.

Through the constant ringing in my ears I could hear the muffling of small chatter and footsteps, I strained my ears more to try and listen in, trying to keep myself in the loop enough to hopefully find an escape opportunity. The man I so much despised spook loud and clear enough for me to want to block his snake like voice but I had no choice, I absolutely need to get Levy and myself out of this place and soon.

"Turn down the pain levels, don't want her to faint every time she decided to move. We've done everything that was necessary, all we need now is a recording of her voice."

My voice: a voice of a mermaid was supposed to sound like a song to the human race, so the folklore says. But we aren't Syrians, our voice is normal, but I wasn't about to give these people the satisfaction of hearing my _normal _voice. Only out soul mates will be able to hear the sweetness in our voices, it's hard to describe the whole complexity of how we find out soul mates through the sounds of our voice.

I lifted my head, which brought about great paint through the back of my neck but I steeled my will and glared daggers at the baster in charge. My vision cleared after most of the pain left but still lingered, as I glared with all my might I noticed the nametag neatly stuck onto his lab coat. In a fine yet scribbled handwriting that could only belong to a mans, wrote out: Dr. Hades. This Doctor Hades, had his head turned away when I learned his name, after telling on of the men regularly station to watch me, to have lunch he returned his disgusting line of sight back to me.

He stepped once again closer; his head needing to crane back a little since I was floating on higher level then him. I didn't bother following him with my eyes, I just stared ahead at the wall across from me, it blank surface allowed me to paint whatever imagination I wanted on it. But no matter how much I tried to ignore the mans presence, it was there like a big black evil aura taking up a small space in the corner of my eye. And as if he commanded it, I was forced to look at his face; the pain given from the source on her back toned down greatly, I had no choice but watch as his lips curled into a freakishly friendly smirk.

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**Each chapter rotates from Lucy's POV to Natsu's POV, in case anyone was wondering. I read a series by Maggie Steifvater: Shiver, ect, and I like the idea that it jumps from one person's Point Of View to the next. So I'm trying this kind of chapter style, if it get's to confusing you can always ask and or if enough people are annoyed with it, I'll change it.**

**Hope you're enjoying the story so far.**

**Please leave an comment or review.**

**Till next chapter!**


	4. Chapter 4: So Here's The Plan

**Chapter 4**

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(Natsu)

Me and my team managed to get by all the highly sophisticated security system they had so perfectly set up, it's radius; 200 meters exact. It was a dangerous job going through it, we couldn't travail through as a group nor in partners. So we were forced to move ahead through the barrier individually, one mess up from one of my crew members would of resulted in major failure. But that didn't happen, seeing as we regrouped at the back entrances marked on the old blueprints giving to us.

I motioned Elfman to unlock the door with his handy pick locking skills; we were in no more than 1 minute later. Now I was in the lead, the halls were old and damp, the air filled with the smell of mold and dirt. Tubes that used to carry who knows what followed us over our heads; I stopped at every turn off and motioned to continue with a wave of my hand. Now that we were in time for chatting or planning are put on hold permanently unless necessary, the only think we allowed to be heard were our own foot steps on the cold gray cement floor beneath our feet.

We came a 'T' at the end of our tunnel, I quick lifted my hand to stop all members motions. We stayed silent for a moment, water droplets echoed through the tunnels. It was faint but I could tell there were something; someone else on this path ahead of us, their sounds bounced off the walls to us. Their voices; barely a whisper, reached my heighten hearing ability.

_"Haha, sure is putting on the pressure. I doubt she'll make it through the night with that new device he made." _

The distinctly male voice travailed, slightly echoing and the volume began to rise. The source was getting closer, I looked behind me to see Gajeel nod in confirmation. He could tell as well, who ever they were; be it an easy takedown target or a more trained bodyguard. They needed to hide, their mission requires stealth and being spotted this early in their infiltration would be bad.

I listened for a little longer; trying to get the gist of the rare animals situation before retreating to the shadows.

_"She's stubborn and should just give in already, I feel bad hurting such a beautiful creature."_

The companion to the other voice spoke out; it's male but more high pitched than the other party. The sounds were coming in, in shorter intervals and became louder as they got closer slowly.

_"She is magnificent, if only she would just talk to use."_

_"She seems to be holding her tongue."_

_"She isn't human so her voice is obviously going to be different, maybe mermaids speak a different language?"_

The voices were getting to close for comfort so I quick turned back and had Gray who was at the back of the group lead the way, we needed to hide and fast. I had almost compromised our mission by waiting that long before retreating, a mistake on my part but we also benefited from it by learning something about what they were withholding here. Gray turned down the last turn off we pasted earlier and as soon as I, the last to follow, turned the corner. The voices passed the narrow tunnel we were just in.

Gray quick pulled open a door after passing a few before hand, we filed in. The room wasn't large but it wasn't cramped either, just enough to fit 5 other guys the same size as Elfman. I closed the door behind me and when I turned back to face my Team, the guys were already getting themselves so some seats.

"Did you get anything else Iron Eater?"

I looked at him as he put down his heavy sub-machine gun, he returned the look after taking up a spot beside the door on the wall.

"Probably just as much as you Salamander. Something about a mermaid, can't say they were talking crazy. They sounded pretty damn believable."

He replied, his tone told me he wasn't sure what to believe out of the things we heard. Gray had pulled a stranded plastic crate box closer and perched himself on top.

"Mermaid? Aren't they just myths? They're not real."

Even Gray sounded pretty sure that mermaids didn't exist, Elfam nodded his head in agreement while mumbling; 'believing a lie isn't manly'. I folded my arms over my bulletproof vested chest, I looked down onto the floor in thought.

Were those people really withholding a mermaid? If so it would be a huge discovery for the human race but it's not like they haven't proven mythical creatures to be real before. The human race has proven that dragons did indeed exist at one point, through the discovery of real dragon bone remains. But if a mermaid was to be discovered and alive no less, it would be the biggest breakthrough for the humans to finally believe that mythical creatures for real exist among them.

"For now, let's say we believe what we heard. Take in mind that this particular rare animal needs water to move, hence being the hardest to extract. We need a plan to stop further testings and movement to other facilities upon failure to remain hidden."

There was no real way to know what those two employees of this place, if they were telling the truth. So the best course of action is to believe what they believe until proven otherwise.

"This is a big mission, it's not in our favor that they only sent a team on only four members to do this job. So we have to compromise with what we have and our first and only clue about what kind of animals they have here is one of them is a mermaid."

"Sure, I get that the odds are against us but even knowing that they 'might' have a 'real' mermaid doesn't help us in any way. We got information but we're still at square one."

Gray stated, his grip on his assault rifle tightened. We are a highly skilled team but being placed on a mission that's no more than impossible with only one team assigned, isn't a comforting thought. This type of quality mission requires a whole squad to infiltrate and flush out the enemy, numbers are important in this type of assignment.

"It's not like we can do anything now, all we can do it come up with a plan and get the damn job done."

Gajeel glared at Gray, who's brows were knitted together in frustration and a hint of fear. If anything the government sent us out to die but Fairy Tail, the company they hired to do the job, specifically pick my team knowing we had better chances than the rest.

"Enough, with the subtle comments about our up and coming doom. We need a plan that makes way for the best results and success."

I interrupted Gajeel's and Grays death glare contest. I looked to Elfman for idea's because for a while now he has been the most silent, though when he does start his pretty damn loud. Always screaming about things being manly or unmanly, one or the other. He noticed me looking and then started rubbing his chin in thought. I let him think while I pulled out the folded up blue paper of the buildings layout, aka the blueprints.

"We're here right now, supposing they have a large load of trapped animals. The best place to hold all of them up in one area is around here."

I poked my right hand index finger at one of the rooms that was much bigger than the rest. I slid my finger onto a different section on the blueprints and made a circular motion around an area with multiple rooms and continued explaining.

"But that's only on the upper level, the level we are on now but seeing as they're keeping this place secret and secure. They probably went on ahead and split the the numbers for safety purposes."

Elfman stepped up and closer to the group to get in on the brain storming stage of the plan, his big body hover over us creating a shadow but none of us minded.

"I think we should check out the big rooms that have enough space to contain the larger animal, then move our way down to the underground floor where Salamander suggested they most likely be."

Eflman spoke up, the three of us who were sitting looked up to see his hand still at his chin and a look of thought on his manly features. Gray looked back down first and back to the blue paper spread out in the middle of Team Natsu. Gajeel followed after and then getting up to pick up his weapon. I keep my eyes on Elfman but let my mind wonder over that plans holes and chances of fatality. It ran higher risk of discovery but it also heightened chances of success if we can manage not being discovered.

"Alright boys, were following Beast's plan. It'll take longer to find the animals if they aren't in the big rooms and it'll only get more risky as we'll get loser to the true location. Our probability rate for success by running this route is low but also high if you manage things just right. There's a high and a low to this plan, let's make sure it stays in the high."

I gently clapped my hand together limiting the amount of sounds we make and to settle the matter. All we can do now is try and follow the plan and finish the plan to the dot.

One mistakes will be the barer of death, failure is not an option in this plan.

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**Okay so I haven't posted for awhile on this story, so I picked up where I left off. Though I feel a little bad because this one is a bit more well written than newest chapter of Recovery (My other story, NaLu as while btw). I was more rushed than I was for this one, so I'm sorry for the one's who are following both my stories. I didn't meant to make a mess of the latest chapter of Recovery, so I hope I am making it up to you with this chapter. Which I hope has much lest typos and grammar mistakes.**

**Please, feel free to leave a comment or review.**

**Till next chapter!**


	5. Chapter 5: Make It Stop

**Chapter 5**

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(Lucy)

Another hour passed since I woke up with this _'thing'_attached to my back. Ever since the so-called left the room things have quite down massively, the movement and chatter between workers slowed and went down to a whisper. Though every so often a person would come running bringing good news and bad news, depends on how rushed the said people came coming in. To distract myself from the scary thoughts about what could be happening to Levy, I counted how many people would come bursting in and how minutes between each appearance. The 7th person came running in with news I thought I would never get to hear.

"The other one is going through a breakdown, let know! It's bad, she's not handling the new device like the blond." The young male looked and sounded panicked with how he was waving his hands about.

I listened well on what else this nervous wreck of an employee; he went on and mentioned that Levy was indeed receiving the same treatment as myself. I wanted to cry, I wanted change my tail to feet just so I could get out of this prison jar and walk out to save her. But that was only possible if I could perform the mermaid ritual of bathing in the full moons light from moonrise to moon fall. I eyed the ceiling, the mass expansion of concrete blocked out both the sun and the moon. If not for the clock on the wall there would be no sense of time in this god forsaken building.

"Don't bother, if she breaks down now we'll defiantly get her voice recording before this one." The person the young man was rushing to explain things replied in a monotone voice.

"True but Dr. Hades said..." The younger one was cut short by another worker, this time a middle aged woman and stopped him with a wave of her hand.

"Doesn't matter what said, with the stuff all over the news the Animals Rights Act will come into play and the government will be pressured into action." She paused and typed something into the old generation computer.

"Their bound to send a squad out for us; whoever let out the anonymous tip about our work is walking among us. So they defiantly know where we are, we need to work fast." The middle-aged woman pushed the wheeled chair away from the desk while twisting to fast the man.

There was a moment of silence that passed through the room, seemed like everyone there heard the conversation. The young one shifted awkwardly knowing what the older woman said was the truth. He opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by another man, maybe two to three years older, which burst through the double doors.

"We got trouble!" He screamed, all eyes darted to him for further details.

"Speak to us, don't just stand their panting in panic and not tell us what's going on." The woman said with annoyance in her tone.

From my view all I could see was the old woman's graying hair that was pinned up into a perfect bun atop her head. The two earlier men also facing away from me, the person who rushed in glanced my way making me freeze.

"We got intruders, there here to get the mermaids. We need to move, is taking care of the other animals. He said that security will be with us soon, while waiting we need to move the two to the launching bay." His eyes keep passing me glancing and every time I couldn't help but get more nervous every time.

No other words were passed around for the exception of warning calls and orders for the movements of certain equipment's. This continued for another hour when someone came waltzing in with word about Levy. I whipped my head in that person's direction a little to fast and too much sending a bolt of pain running thought my spine, I gritted my teeth painfully to hold onto my voice.

"The blue haired one has reached the launching bay, the blond will be the last move. Dr. Hades orders." Said the rather handsome man who walked in barking orders.

I sharpened my eyes hoping him he could feel the burn of my stare. I hated that I was going to be the last to leave, not that was a bad this but because if Levy and I get separated then I wouldn't ever be able to save her. Wouldn't know where she is, how she's being treated or how she's doing and even if she'll still be alive or not. It wasn't like I didn't get all that much information on her here, with her in another room somewhere but at lest she was in the same building. Knowing that, I felt comfort in the possibility of saving her some how.

"Get as much out of her as possible. If there is no results before 3PM sharp then we'll resort on getting the info out of the other one, our top priority is to get the blue haired one out first." His short cut black hair and piercing green eyes didn't stop me form hating his handsome ass for the words he just said.

He looked my way with a passive face and observing eyes, he almost looked fascinated by what I was. If he had appeared before me earlier before when he came with cutthroat news about Levy, I would of like to talk to him privately. Maybe move his fascination to compassion and hopefully get him to help with their escape. Now that was nothing but a fleeting hope.

The middle-aged woman came walking up to him with papers in her hands, she passed the pile to him and he took them with out a word of thanks. From the distance between him and the prison tune, I was able to vaguely see his eyes scan the contents of the paper work. His face remained neutral but his vibe some how gave off happy feelings. Piercing green eyes looked up to stare at me then back to whatever was written on the white sheets in his hand. Next thing, he was making his way over to me, stopping short 3 feet from the foot of my cell.

"I see why is so fascinated with you, your results and tolerance to the drugs we give you are greatly higher than that of the other mermaid we have." I didn't think this ass of a beauty would ever show anything on his face, it's been so calm and so void that it didn't seem possible.

His green eyes shrouded in dark black lashes, trailed all over my body as he inspected me and what type of glorious species I was. It was those eyes that my father and the rest of merfolk warned me about since childhood, the eyes of curiosity and greed. Then in that moment I knew this man wouldn't have helped me, ever. The looks of him and the feel of his eyes scared me. He was the type to have done worse than the man I thought I hated the most up until now. I guess I felt a little more grateful now that I knew who to compare him with in terms of disgust and who to be more fearful of.

"It's really to bad that you don't share with us, what you sound like when you talk. Legends say your voices are descendants of Syrians, others say you'll only share your voice with who you'll choice as your mate. But the legend we're following is the one that says that only your soul mates will hear your voice as a song not normal speech." The corner of his lip twitched as if he wanted to smile at my reaction.

Unknowingly I clenched my fingers into a fist the moment he said which legend they were following up on, something I regretted. He was quick to jolt down the new information and was also fast to continue the one sided questionnaire. I looked away with a 'humph' and had momentarily forgotten about the torture device attached to my back. I once again press my teeth together in pain filled frustration; I swear if I survive through this ordeal and escape with my life alive. I'll be leaving the rest of my days with grounded teeth.

"..." The more frightful man stopped asking questions and just looked at me in avid curiosity.

I steeled my neck to refuse to look back at him; the curious thoughts prickled my skin in an annoying manner. Footsteps leading away from me let me know he had walked off having enough ask and get no answer interrogating. I looked back despite the mild pain, it was already giving her a cramped neck with it craned the way it was.

The never racking questionnaire felt like a week ago with the amount of time that had passed; yet the rushing workers reminded me that it actually happened 10 minutes prier. It was hard to follow all the commands and information passing around, trying to hear clues about Levy left me with a terrible headache. Dizziness began to set in after I tried memorizing all the people running in and out of the room. To top off all the spinning my eyes were doing and all the pumping my ears were hearing, the alarm went off; shooting mental arrows at my head.

"Get the main gear to the launching bay! NOW!" The handsome interrogator yelled to all the current employees in the room.

While everyone was busy at moving the technology out to where ever their secret exit lies, I covered my ears in hopes to stop the dreadful sound. The pumping of my heard grew stronger with each time the alarm repeated itself. Under all the sounds of yells and alarms, I whispered to myself.

"Make it stop, make it stop." It hurt so much more than all the torture.

The repetitive sound of high volume sounds confined in a chamber of concrete wall on serve to make it worse, as I whispered I felt liquid leave my body form my ears. The semi gelatin liquid around my ears started to turn a shade of dark yellow, the mixture of green and red. My body felt the pain of my movements but my mind didn't know I moved into a fetal position.

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**Alright, Alright, Alright! I finally updated this story called 'Save Me'! I don't know how long ago it was since I last updated up I feel like it might of been a little over a week ago, or more...or hopefully less. Any way, either way I finally posting chapter 5 and almost got carried away. I was starting to make this chapter longer that I wanted it to, so sorry if the ending of this chap is a little abrupt. **

**And to those of you who are following this story and my other one called, Recovery. Thank you for tolerating my bellow average writing skills. I always almost brings me to tears when I get great feedback from you and helps keep me moving on to the next chapter.**

**Hope to hear form you guys some more!**

**Comment &amp; Review. Thanks.**


	6. Chapter 6: We're so Stupid

**Chapter 6**

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(Natsu)

So far the plan was working, I was pretty damn easy getting to the big rooms on this level. On the blueprints we marked the rooms we've check with an X with white marker, we quickly cleared all large rooms on ground level an were now making our way down to the lower levels. We split up in two pairs because of the two way entrances leading to the underground floors, we had decided that it would clear coverage quicker and that the group is to remain in stealth mode until regrouping.

Our current team was split with myself and Gray and Gajeel with Elfman. Communication was to stay at a minimum and distinctly between Gajeel and I alone. Iron Eater reported back the moment they arrived at the other door leading downward, after his one word report both of us knew what next to do without speech. 'One. Two. Three. Go!' Our mental count down made sure we were in sync with the other.

Gray and I were clearing all nearly half of the second floor when an alarm tripped off, I looked at Gray with shocked eyes and I saw he too was baffled. My heart jumped and I was quick to check with the other group.

"Report Iron Eater! Was that you?" I some how keep my freaked out yell to a somewhat whisper.

We got a static response, my stomach sank at the thought that we just lost two really great men, I again glanced at Gray as if he could give me answers even thought I knew he couldn't. I was about to mutter the words 'damn it' when the static on our earpiece stopped, I used my right hand to press it on it like I could somehow hear more if I did.

"Reporting Salamander...No it isn't us, someone else is trying to infiltrate the area. Beast and I managed to get ourselves into an old security room, power still runs here so I was able to hack into the security systems outside." There was an unnerving silent pause then he continued.

"Bastard came charging into all the security triggers, by the looks of it and the disturbance in our COMs their equipped with scramblers. I got our earpieces on a different frequency so we can talk but it won't last long. We need to regroup and hide, change of plans will be wiser, we can use their distraction as cover." I listened patiently as he told me the situation.

I nodded in response knowing he probably knows I did. I responded with telling him that we regroup at the same place we originally planned, after that it was complete radio silence. A good 10 minutes pass in a hurry and we grouped back together in no time, it was easier knowing that there was none on this floor now that the alarm has been tipped. The room we were currently stationed in was much smaller than the last; there was barely any room to move with 4 heavily geared men inside.

"We need to move fast now, whoever is outside; either friend or foe has annoyingly disturbed the plan. Stealth will take to slow but it'll be a whole lot harder if we let ourselves be known." I pulled out the underground layout pointing to the rooms I pointed out before hand.

"We managed to check all the big rooms that could contain large or multiply animals on the first floor, nothing was they as I expected. Now there is no doubt their here, it's the only other place that can hold up so many animal and not be close to above ground." I went on and Elfman interjected.

"That's two more floors down, the guys outside will reach us in not time. They're coming in guns blazing, by the time we get there is we stay silent, all the animals will have already been moved out." He crossed his huge arms over his equally wide chest.

Gray groaned in annoyance while I thought of way to get down there in time without having to be spotted, this group was to small to do anything big so we have no choice but to think up way to do big things with little to any help. I stared long and hard at the blueprints laid out before me on a make shift table, the boys discussion pushed back to background sounds. What kind of plan can stop the movement of the animal and drive out the enemy with out going into a shot out? Four men against possible 50 security guards and who knows how many employees seems like an impossible task.

"Salamander."

My eyes trailed a pass that seemed like the quickest way down but my brain automatically programmed where and how many guard would be station down that path. It would be more secured than any other path, probably because it's were all employed members us it to get in and out of the area.

"Salamander!"

I scratched the back of my head in frustration, there really was now way down in a short amount of time without being spotted. The only way down safely and undetected was the long path down but even then there would still be guards and we would have to take care of them if we needed to move fast. Damn the would plan got ruined because of the assholes outside, we didn't even get half way down when they showed up.

"SALAMANDER!" Gray grabbed hold of my shoulders and shock me while practically yelling in my face.

That got my attention. I looked Gray dead in the eye and he was quick to let go off me, he took two steps back with his hands in the air. He of course didn't actually look scared, he was never afraid of me but he knew his status in the group and he respected that I was the one in charge. Elfman coughed awkwardly trying to get our attention back on topic so Gajeel went on ahead on explaining what plan they seemed to have come up with.

"We can use the outsiders as a diversion, most of their security is going to try and kill them off so down stairs will have less guards. Their bound to be in a panic and trying to get them and the animals out quickly, if the guys outside are as good as the gear they brought they'll defiantly give us some time." Gajeels red piercing eyes were glued to the map in front of us, probably trying to get a clear path down just like I was.

"Time isn't on our hands is it." Elfman said with discouragement.

Even though none of use replied verbally we for sure agreed mentally, things just got worst. So much worst.

As I looked the map I saw in the corner, written so small anyone would miss it, was a little note. I crouched down to get a closer look at and that note just made an opening for us, something we completely over looked at stupidly never thought of. I looked up while still crouched, my finger slammed onto the little side note we missed and I couldn't help but smirk in satisfaction.

"I just found our way down, quick, silent and most of all, no guards what so ever." My team looked at me like I was crazy but at the same time curious.

Their eyes went from looking at then to where my finger was pointing too and their eyes widen slowly as they finally got to where I was getting at. Out of the silence Gajeel was the first to bust out laughing at our own stupidity, Grays lips grew into a smile to big to hold for long and Elfman was about to scream out "we're so manly!" But was force to stop because we all reacted to covering his mouth in a hurry. With our now formed plan, we were off to our destination.

The laundry shoot.

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**Ohhhhh~ boy do I love comments; my heart squeezed so hard I felt like crying tears of happiness. And to that I give you another chapter! I was so motivated that I'm already starting the next chapter with Lucy; once I'm done I'm going to hold off from posting...Make you beg! Muhahahahaha! (Okay that's evil and I just finished saying I was happy about your comments. LOL)**

**Any way, thanks guys for the motivation it got me going and even helped me with my other story Recovery. For those of you haven't looked at it, it's about Natsu who is an ex soldier because of an injured knee. He is also full of heartbreak because of the loss of his long time childhood crush. Then comes in Lucy Heartfilia who is a normal girl working a normal job at the local pool who happens to come across Natsu one day and again the next. Follow their story as Natsu slowly learns to be alive again and Lucy who gains lifetime experiences form one single man who walked into her life. (Nalu story of course. Other couples with pop up here and there.)**

**Thanks again guys, you'll be the death of me one day.**

**Hope to hear from you guys again. (^V^)**

**Comment &amp; Review! Thanks.**


	7. Chapter 7: I'm Here!

**Chapter 7**

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(Lucy)

I must of passed out at some point because when I woke up again their were barely any one else left in the room, only a few came and went no longer than staying for a minute or two. I couldn't tell if the alarm was still going because my ears could no longer hear anything, I wasn't sure if I lost my hearing permanently or not. One or the other I was currently grateful to the silence, not hearing the alarm also meant I wasn't in pain. The fact that I couldn't feel pain shocked me, I was moving around but no pain ran through my spine. I tried looking at my back to see if the torture device was no longer there, it still was. I moan in displeasure and turned back to look around, there really wasn't anybody around anymore.

"..." I opened my mouth to call out, maybe someone would reply back.

Then again I remembered that they wanted my voice recorded, I then thought that maybe this was just a plan to get me to call for help and get my voice if they hid themselves. Or make it appear like they have left me but I knew better, I closed my mouth shut and resorted to just looking around and figure out what was gone and what was still left. A lot of their equipment was gone and all that was still here to see were empty space and random electrical cords lay useless on the concrete floor.

Since there really wasn't much to see I turned my thoughts on how I could get out, even though this whole time I've been thinking of ways to do just that maybe this time could be different. Maybe this time, with no one around, I can think better and with the freedom of movement again I could actually do something. I tried hitting the tube walls with all my might with my tail but there wasn't any room to get that much force behind the hit; that was useless. My hands were free so I pulled and punched at anything that looked like it was weaker than the rest, which too was in vain.

I was simply to weak in the first place to do anything, being tortured for weeks on end and hardly any sleep served only to weaken me. No doubt they thought I would give in and lose all hope and simply tell them what they want. Guess I was to strong willed than they originally thought, Levy on the other hand probably isn't. That's why they said it was their priority that they get her out first; it would be easier for them to get their information than get it from a mermaid who could resist. In a way I hated that trait of mine, if only I was weak like Levy maybe I would be the one in her place and she could be in my position. Being left behind is better than going with them, is what I think.

It was getting harder and harder to move around in the heavy liquid they keep us in, it's probably for that reason too. Once we're weak this thick water would confine us completely then there really won't be any hope. As my strength left me, a faint sound jump started my slowing heart, it was to silent for to long. Maybe I've really been left behind. My muscles tensed at the sound of steps, were they from workers coming back to pick up some remaining stuff or people hear to save us? My heart skipped a beat thinking about that little hope that could be my saviors and as quick as my hope raised it plummeted to who came walking in.

"Don't think we've forgotten about you, right now we're moving all the other animals we have held up here. You'll be last, you better pray that you get left behind." The handsome green-eyed devil smirked.

He was pulling at my fins, I just glared as hard as I can despite the energy being zapped out of me at the more I tried to think of a way out. He spoke softly to the two security looking men with him, he then pointed at me and the two men's eyes looked up. The one on the left nodded and then the Handsome Devil left without another word to me. It's as if he said what he said just to annoy me and at the same time give me hope of surviving. Once the door closed behind him the soldiers made their way over to me and the one who nodded looked at me with a small smile on his lips. I didn't feel any malice behind it, more like he was captivated and in complete wonder. His partner cleared his throat to get his attention and the one who was staring detached his sight from me moving it to his partner.

"What? She's beautiful, don't tell me you don't think so." He said ignoring me entirely.

His partner glanced at me and then turned his back getting himself in guarding position, his hands holding onto his gun tightly. There was pause before he decided to answer even thought it was a rhetorical question.

"Of course, any thing with a huge rack like that is beautiful to you." He finally said sarcastically.

That hit a nerve in me, out of angry I weakly hit the glass tube walls in an attempt to hit him even thought I knew that was stupid because I can't. The more talkative one burst out laughing at our reaction, turns out the sarcastic one jump into action the moment after I hit the glass My eyes wide as I saw his gun whip around and pointed straight me like I was even able to attack him any second now. The security guard who was laughing hysterically slowly came to a stop then took up his position beside his partner; occasionally he would giggle at random points in time, probably thinking back to that moment.

12 minutes and counting, we remained there in silence and I was so weak now that I couldn't even manage to remain afloat in such heavy liquid. I now had to rest on the bottom of the glass cylinder, the siting position allowed me to get a better look at the state of my tail. It looked beaten and broken so much that I didn't even realize that any other mermaid probably wouldn't have been able to swim up until now. The state of my tail brought about tears to my eyes, I just wanted to get Levy and leave this place for good. No one was coming to help, not a soul, humans don't care about the merfolks feelings only their own. I cried, I just couldn't hold back the tears anymore.

How long have I been here? How long has Levy been here? How much long before they stop the torture, the pain? Was there really any hope of escape in the first place? Was it fate that Levy and I were to live and die here by the hands of greedy researchers? Were we going to die?

"Oh man, now she's crying." The lively one said with a hint of sadness in his voice.

"Not 'she', she isn't human." The other told him with disgust.

"Dude, rude much. She's right here." The friendly one gesture to me with a wave of his hand.

The two started bickering about what I was and how I should be treated, I only listened to them as background voice because something else had caught my hearing. As a creature that isn't human I had greater hearing than humans and what I was hearing was pleasure to my ears. It was in the middle of my crying fit that I first heard their faint voices. It took me another moment to realize I was _hearing_ things in the first place. I wasn't not hearing the alarm, the alarm was off but the lights were still going, they must of turned it off why I was out of it for awhile.

I stopped my cry immediately, the guards didn't notice but continued their pointless discussion. I strained my ears to hear as far as I could; if you asked Dr. Hades how far my hearing went they could tell you just by looking at the results they collected, using torture on their source. To be percise my inhuman hearing radius is 10 meters wide (32 feet), since the voices I was hearing were faint they were just within the hearing range.

'_Man I don't know why we didn't come up with this idea before hand. That was a really dumb of use, really why didn't we think of this?' A male voice in the relatively far distance said._

_'Because our minds were automatically thinking of check the other rooms, even now we still have no idea if the animals are even in the spot Salamander said they would be. He CAN be wrong sometimes you know.' Another said back a little jokingly._

_'Sure I can be but we don't have much of a choice, we're in a pinch right now and it's the only lead we got that is more plausible.' The one who is called Salamander said with a mature tone._

_'Salamander is manly, he knows better than us.' A booming voice vibrated the walls, wherever they are._

_'Shhhhhh! Not to loud Beast!' The three other voices said in unison._

_'Sorry,' Beast replied._

_'Ice, how much further down?" Asked one of the voices yet to be identified._

_'Quit bugging me Iron Eater, I'm checking.' Said Ice who sounded like he was shuffling around a bit._

_'4.5 meters (14 feet), just a little more to go.' He finally said as the rest moved silently waiting for his answer._

I listened as hard as I could, there were 4 distinct voices, I could place their voices with the names they used. I didn't really believe thought that's what they called themselves, were their real names, it's too inhuman to be human names.

I mentally put together who's voice belonged to who. Salamander, spook maturely but has a childish tone to it. Ice, a joker who is serious at the same time. Beast, really loud and seems to enjoy thinking things were manly. Iron Eater, serious and sounds like he could like high-staked situations based of his tone of voice.

I couldn't help think that if they really are my saviors then I got a pretty damn destructive group heading my way. I place both my palms on the window and starting hitting it with all the strength I had left, it was my final cry for help. I continued banging the glass until my hands hurt, the soldiers standing guard tried telling me to stop and quiet me down but I ignored them. I need to get their attention; they need to know where I was. I need them to know I was here.

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**Ohhohoho. I told you I would make you wait, lol 48 hours only LOL. I couldn't help myself I just keep going, that and even myself want to know what happens next. I'm writing it up as I go so if I make a contradiction or a repeated scene, please let me know. No one wants repeat and contradictions will just make things complicated and confusing so I would definitely need to fix something like that.**


	8. Chapter 8: What's That Knocking?

**Chapter 8**

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(Natsu)

"Man I don't know why we didn't come up with this idea before hand. That was a really dumb of use, really why didn't we think of this?" Elfman said with bewilderment of our on stupidity.

"Because our minds were automatically thinking of check the other rooms, even now we still have no idea if the animals are even in the spot Salamander said they would be. He CAN be wrong sometimes you know." Gray tried to turn the blame on me.

"Sure I can be but we don't have much of a choice, we're in a pinch right now and it's the only lead we got that is more plausible." I replied back with a solid and firm voice that clearly told him to not go any further with where he was going with this conversation.

"Salamander is manly, he knows better than us." Elfam defended me but with a little to much volume to his voice in this tight space of a laundry shoot.

"Shhhhhh! Not to loud Beast!" The three of us said in unison, shooting a look that shouts out 'shut up'.

"Sorry," Elfman apologizes while down casting his eyes.

"Ice, how much further down?" Gajeel looked up to Gray who was last to go down sense his lightweight compared to the rest of us.

"Quit bugging me Iron Eater, I'm checking." Said Gray, a little annoyed at the question.

It has been the third time Gajeel asked since we got into the laundry shoot, Gray had to lock his legs into place in order to get the map out. He took one look at where we were and immediately folded the dark blue peace of paper back into his vest jacket.

'4.5 meters (14 feet), just a little more to go.' He finally said as the rest continued to move downward silently waiting for his answer.

Beast was at the button of the chain we had no other choice following while going down the shaft, the old build use to be a huge factory and laboratory combined so we were lucky the shoot was even big enough for Elfman to fit. Just barely thought. The last 4.5 meters was an easy way down and we reached the end in not time, Elfman landed with a smack as his feet landed flat on the cold and gray floor. The rest of us still in the shaft cringed at the sound as it echoed in the room bellow and up the confined space we still hung up in.

The last of us, Gray, landed with minimum sound and we were all grateful to the less noise entrance to the bottom level of this secret base. I was the first to scan the room we were in, one entrance only so only one way in, one way out. I jogged up to the open entrance and exit and did a stealthy side-to-side sweep of the hallway. The path ended 10 feet to the left and continued another 15 feet to the right where it makes a 90-degree corner, no down a one-way path as well.

I turned back to look at my team who are hugging the walls with their backs and eyes watching me like a hawk, good they were on high alert. I signaled to move out and we took out our guns, me moved as fast as we could while being in a semi crouched position. We paused once we got to the corner and I swung my gun around as I turned the corner, the guns marker following my line of sight. Clear.

I repeated the same routine at ever blind spot and hidden corners as we moved ahead slowly but surely. After a good 12 minutes of move and repeat something reached my ears, it sounded like someone bagging on glass. I paused and looked at Gajeel he didn't appear like he was hearing it like I was, I looked back forward dismissing the sound when it stopped after awhile. 2 minutes pass and the sound started up again this time louder than before, Gajeel heard it this time. He moved himself forward from 3rd in line to second to tap on my shoulder, I didn't even need to turn around to know what he was trying to say. I simply nodded with my back still turned and eyes forward, gun in hand ready and prepared.

As we continued the knocking got louder and louder but it wasn't just the knocking anymore either, other sounds started to clear in and in was disturbing. Animal cries from all sorts of species were calling out; it wasn't calls like you hear a dog bark or a wolf howl. Not this is the sound of when you accidentally step on you cat's tail or your dog's paw, the whining of pain and sadness. My heart was breaking, how long have all of them been here howling for help. What were they doing her to make this sinking feeling in my stomach sink so low by just hearing them.

"How horrible, just listening to them makes me want to weep." Gray said in a sad whisper.

All of us couldn't agree out loud but I'm sure they felt the same painful guilty feeling in my chest. We humans are horrible creatures but it's not like one persons opinion will change that, we are who we are and all we can do is show some compassion in these situations. Where people are crueler than most and are oblivious or enjoy the pain of others, be it animal or humans alike.

We reached a hall way and the sad cries echoed so loudly there was no doubt they were in each and every room down the corridor. I looked at my team and they replied with a nod of their heads, they knew what to do. I went to the first door to my right and looked through the bared glasses window, on the floor was a black dog probably a rare breed of some kind. It had unusually long ears that held straight and pointed backward instead up, around the eyes were whit swirl patterns in contras with its pitch-black fur. It's eyebrow twitched when he heard me breath, the poor things eyes shot open and was retreating to the back of the room scared of me. It was afraid, my eyes softened at the sight of its frightened form curled and shaking in the farthest corner of the dark midnight room.

The team was doing what I was doing, looking into each room to check how many and which rooms were occupied and which ones weren't. By the time we reached the end of the corridor we counted that there way a grand total of 30 rooms 25 of them occupied by either one or two animal. So many were held here it was hard to believe that they could be hold some many rare animals at once. In the background the knocking stopped and started up again every so often, my gut feeling was telling me that it was a call for help of some kind.

"We got to find a way to keep them here for extraction while preventing them from being taken into enemy hands. We're out numbered, there is no way will be able to hold of a fire fight." Gray spoke while peaking around the corner to make sure no one was coming.

"I'm good with animals, based on the amount here I can move all of them to the laundry room. There is enough space there to hold them." Elfman stepped up to speak.

I looked at him with wary eyes; its true Elfman is amazingly good with animal. Hence the code name Beast, I thought a little and reluctantly agreed.

"Okay, Elfman is in charge of transferring the animals to the laundry room. You'll be all by your self so move quick and move silently, you get discovered and the whole mission goes to hell." I pointed an accusing finger at him.

He nodded his head knowingly and gulped at the huge responsibility now passed on to him even though it was himself who suggested that plan in the first place. I turned back toward the two members who will be remaining with me and finished up the current course of action.

"I want Iron Eater to stay in contact with Beast, keep the chatter to a minimum but make sure you know the status of the other. Ice I want you to constantly watch my back, there's something I want to check." While I was telling Gray what to do Gajeel was already setting up the private COMs with Elfman.

"That knocking sound right? It's got me curious, I get the feeling like it's someone trying to get help." Gray scratched the back of his head in thought; I was the only one curious.

Gajeel finished up setting the frequency for the communication decide in their ear and left Elfman to start his own mission, he regrouped with Gray and me. I looked him and thought about his job; really his job was exactly like mine but I was still the one in charge and he needed a job to do to be useful.

"Iron Eater your to keep an eye out for anything that could lead you to the main security room, most of the guards already move upward and it looks like the people here already stated preparing the movement of the animals. They've yet to reach this place and it's probably the best we're going to get, so find the security room and hold off they're advances." I wanted to continue but was delayed by a loud yelp form the dog I had seen earlier.

It was truly a beautiful creature, its fur was dry and dirty but once it get's clean its coat would be a sight to see. I could just imagine it standing tall and powerful once it recovers for this place. Recovering from here was going to be the hardest part for all the animals; who knows how long they've been here and how bad they've been treated.

"You're free to move around at will and make your own discisions but I want updates on the situation outside, if they already got inside we need to know. And if you can try to tell if their friend or foe, that plays a big factor for us." I ordered him and he agreed knowing that it was indeed a deciding factor if the outsiders are friendly or enemy.

With everything in order and each individual had their assigned mission we were off to our own destinations. Gray and I are heading towards the mysterious knocking, Elfman is left with the animals and Gajeel; off to figure out if we have back up coming or if it's storm to avoid. Hopefully the weather forecast doesn't call out a hurricane of 'shits going to hit the fan'.

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**Tralalalalal, I finished chapter 8 in no time. Yaaaaay~ God I was so bored out of my mind in class I pretty much just typed away and neglected my school work. Ooops (Obviously _not_ whistling~) Anyway, by doing that I got this chapter down. I know, I know, I'm killing you guys with the suspense, I'm sure all of you just want me to get Natsu over there already. Don't worry he'll get there. Probably by the next chapter or so, I don't know if I want them to meed through Lucy's view or from Natsu's. Personally I think it should be through Natsu because then we would get to be in his head and see how he feels about seeing a real live mermaid.  
**

**Who do you think? Natsu or Lucy?**

**Comment &amp; Review. Thanks.**


	9. Chapter 9: Crushed Hope

**Chapter 9**

* * *

(Lucy)

"STOP THAT!" The more serious soldier screamed at me while he used the back of his gun to bang the glass.

The action made me reel back a little at the shock, not that I was afraid it was more like the sudden vibration from the impacted was a bit of a surprise. After regaining my composure I was quick to return to my annoying knocking on the glass. They were getting closer and their conversations were getting clearer, despise that I know human hear is much weaker than my own, for some reason I thought that maybe if I made enough noise, they'll hear me.

"God damn it, can't you stay put and be quiet!? It's annoying and no one's going to hear you so it's useless to try and make any noise." The annoyed soldier groaned, he pinched the bridge of his nose with frustration.

I keep to my knocking rhythm for, I don't know; 15 minutes? Either way my hands were beginning to hurt so I took a break, I returned to banging the glass until my hands went numb again and stopped for a while. The routine keep repeating until the approaching males conversations started up again after going silent for quite some time. I listened carefully.

_"We got to find a way to keep them here for extraction while preventing them from being taken into enemy hands. We're out numbered, there is no way will be able to hold of a fire fight." The one called Ice started up._

_"I'm good with animals, based on the amount here I can move all of them to the laundry room. There is enough space there to hold them." Beast sounded like he took a step forward, as if he was asking to be trusted._

There was a pause in the conversation but then it picked up again when the one called Salamander started giving out orders. So he was the one who was the leader of the group.

_"Okay, Beast is in charge of transferring the animals to the laundry room. You'll be all by yourself so move quick and move silently, you get discovered and the whole mission goes to hell." He passed out his first order._

_"I want Iron Eater to stay in contact with Beast, keep the chatter to a minimum but make sure you know the status of each other. Ice I want you to constantly watch my back, there's something I want to check."_ _The second order shortly came after and then there was that glimmer of hope I was hoping for._

_"That knocking sound right? It's got me curious, I get the feeling like it's someone trying to get help." Ice said, the words were pleasure to my ears._

The two boys standing guard at me, looked at me curiously, probably because I was so focused and so happy to hear what that group had to say that I had stopped my constant attempt at making noise. I looked up at the door a few feet ahead of me and couldn't help feel my heart pound in my chest; the heard me, they're coming for me. As my thoughts drive themselves to selfish thinking a flash, like a lightning flash, of an image of Levy crossed my sight. A reminder that I wasn't alone here anymore I had been so focused on escaping that I had nearly forgotten my best friend, my sister.

I hated that; I hated that feeling of mine. My eyes were still focused on the door, waiting for them to appear, waiting for them to rescue me and that made me feel disgusted with myself. I banged the unbreakable glass as hard as I could with my forehead, I know I hit it hard enough to rip my skin a little but I was fine with that. It was my punishment for being selfish; the poor bodyguards or whatever they were to me, just watched me with confused faces, go through a mental evaluation of my own greed.

Running footsteps rapidly approached, as they got closer and closer my heart was starting to pound as fast as the steps were coming. They were getting here; they'll be here any minute now. The steps reached the behind the entrance before me, the doors burst open and I froze.

It wasn't them.

What stood at the door was another two extra soldiers much like the ones standing guard for me; I sank back to the bottom of the tank. I hadn't even realized I was so hopeful that I had not only raised my expectations but I hand also raised my body off the bottom. I closed my eyes in despair and could feel myself growing closer to the breakdown I've been to strongly been holding back. Right now all I wanted to do was cry and dissolve into whatever substance I was in, to disappear from the feelings of torment.

The soldiers at the door came to us with heavy breaths; the two were roughly the same height and dressed exactly the same as the others who have been with me since the handsome snake came in. The caught their breaths before decided to talk, the one on the right started coughing dryly and looked like he was in pain. I would of felt sorry but at this point I really didn't care about any of them.

"Dr. Hades said to leave the mermaid and the others behind, the intruders upstairs have already reach 3 level. We need to evacuated all remaining personnel, including the rest of the guard on this level and lower." The one who regained his breath first said in a panic.

He seemed like he was distraught about something and it was rubbing onto the rest of the men standing before me. I watched and listened; the evil bastard had decided to leave me behind. I was going to get separated from Levy!

"Noo!" I unconsciously yelled out, both my palms slammed hard on the clear surface.

All eyes turned to me, wide eyed and amazed. I had told myself not to talk to remain silent but I couldn't not when I know Levy is being taken to some place darker than here and further away from the ocean. I glared daggers at the one who gave the news, he shivered under my sight, I wouldn't doubt that he would. Mermaids have this aura and look about themselves when provoked enough. That was one thing they had yet to get data of, if they know about it already they didn't get it from me but from Levy and that absolutely pissed me off.

I raised myself up even as weak as I am I wasn't going to let Levy leave this place without me, I banged the glass with my tail repetitively. I felt the tanks pressure start to change and I know I was getting somewhere, I continued even thought my muscles hurt and I was growing more numb by the minute. The tank shuddered and the boys looked on, shock in place but when the tank squeaked they jumped at the sound. The one who constantly yelled at me continued to tell me to stop but I ignored him easily enough. His partner was looking around for something, a way to make me stop peacefully or find a way to stop me forcefully.

The next hit made a tiny crack in the window but by then I was feeling weaker than ever, I took another swing but when I hit the same spot as the crack I know my power was drained; I was panting hard and it was so hard to move with the heavy component they put me in to replace regular water.

"We gotta move, were wasting time here just watching her bang at the glass." The one who looked like he was in pain this time spook reason into the poor bastards trying to stop me.

I shifted my glare to him but he didn't even flinch, probably because he was purposely not looking my way. The other men straightened up and were about to walk way when I decided that it was pointless to remain quiet any longer, so why not throw a little threat here and there?

"Leave without me and I curse your sorry ass to the darkest depths of the sea and trust me, a mermaids curse isn't a legend." Really it wasn't all that much of a legend.

We can curse of bless things, not actually living beings though but they didn't need to know that right now. I saw that they visibly shivered at the thought, right then I knew I got there attention, one of them turned around with scared eyes. The advantages of being a creature of unknown was that they didn't know if what I said is true or not. I smirked as evilly as I could and said my next words with as much belief in them as when I curse items.

"Let this curse be a warning to those who run from the..." Right in the middle of my fake cursing the doors behind the ones I was fake cursing opened a crack.

I froze for a second then quickly realized that if I stopped now I would give them away, they're my only hope now in rescuing Levy. This was my chance at getting out of here and stopping Dr. Hades from separating us so I will my excitement and new-found energy to get out and actually do something, in.

"Ones who ask you for help, may the King of the sea; Poseidon punish your cowardice." I finished.

Just when I thought that I managed to convince them to fear me, one of them burst into laughter and stopped probably with a confident smirk placed upon his lips. And with his one sentence broke what little my lie holds over the other men's heads.

"I don't believe you."

* * *

**God I almost felt like crying myself when I wrote this one, sorry it's so depressing but it's probably how anyone would feel when your hope get's crushed. Anyway, like I've said before, don't worry I'll make them meet soon. Like really soon now.**

**Comment &amp; Review. Thanks.**


	10. Chapter 10: His Arrived

**Chapter 10**

* * *

(Natsu)

It was fairly easy moving through the twist and turns of the underground layout, Gray stayed hot my heels but Gajeel broke off around half way by the time we reached the only double doors we've come across so far. All the while we were able to hear muffled voices and some more knocking, though the knocking seemed to be more intense than what they sounded like before. I wasn't sure if it was because we were further away or the person doing the knocking is trying harder, one way or another the slightly louder knocks helped lead us straight to it.

We were about to turn a corner when two soldiers rushed passed us; we were lucky they didn't notice us. If they were to just check down the hall we were in they would of spotted us in no time at all. There really wasn't anything to help us hide while moving forward through the halls, we froze like statues with our guns up, silencers on and finger on the trigger. This is when the rule 'don't shoot first, only return fire or only shoot unless it's completely necessary'.

After they passed I peeked around the corner in the direction they were heading and saw that one of the double doors slowly closed shut. I looked the other way; when the coast was clear I leaded the way closer once at the door I put down one knee down to get a firm balance on the floor. I signaled Gray to keep an eye out for anyone approaching from behind us.

I pressed my ear to the door to hear more than just muffles, even thought I have advance hearing, hearing muffled voices is pretty damn annoying. I pressed gently in case the door wasn't closed completely. The sounds of heavy breathing came from the two we saw rush over, one of them even started coughing pretty dryly and it sounded painful.

_"Dr. Hades said to leave the mermaid and the others behind, the intruders upstairs have already reach 3 level. We need to evacuated all remaining personnel, including the rest of the guard on this level and lower." One of the two men gave their orders and the report._

_"Noo!" A female yelled._

I jumped back from the high-pitched disagreement, I was shocked but returned my ear to the door. I hear some bobbling like the movement of water then came a bang whatever was hit it was hit hard. The bang came again and again another couple of times; I couldn't place anything together, what was going on? The one of the hits sounded like it cracked glass, something was trying to get out was what I thought. One of the men inside started to yell at what ever was doing the banging, to stop but it didn't listen, he was completely ignore.

The knocking stopped abruptly from it's relentless hitting and there was pause in the air between everyone inside the room, I looked at Gray and he know what I was trying to say. We needed to know what's inside there; we need eyes in the inside. Gray pulled out a device with a flexible antenna, at the tip was a miniature camera. I bent the antenna like a one step stair and slipped the bent under the door horizontally then twister to vertically. I clicked on the on switch and the view from the room behind the door came onto the small screen. On the screen only showed a giant desk in the way but thanks to the gap underneath it we were able to see the feet of the people in the room. 8 legs were in view, 4 people in the room. I tried turning the camera around to get a better scan of the room but the flexibility of the camera was limited and only gave us so much.

It gave us the info about the room behind the doors; it was large and spacious, many of their stuff have been removed and that there were only 4 people in the room. We know that two of them are male and one of them is female. So the last one is either male or female, we won't know until we move in.

_"We gotta move, were wasting time here just watching her bang at the glass." One of them finally said_.

Her? Glass? Okay now things went back to confused, my mind raced to place voices with how many in the room and who was the girl? There was shuffling and it sounded like their foot steps were head our way, I waved to Gray to start moving out but stopped when the female voice spook again. This time for some odd reason her voice sounded rather sweet to my ears.

_"Leave without me and I curse your sorry ass to the darkest depths of the sea and trust me, a mermaids curse isn't a legend." She threatened._

The steps stopped and I decided to take a chance to move in, there was a desk connecting to a pillar on the left of the door, if we can sneak in while their detracted we won't have to worry about getting caught on their way out. I notified Gray and he lowered his body even more, ready to move in fast and silent. I checked if the door was left open or not, it slipped opened with a little twist of the knob.

_"Let this curse be a warning to those who run from the..." The girl was in the middle of saying but stopped randomly._

I froze when she stopped, my gut feeling was telling me she knew we were there, somehow she knows. The moment she continued I knew she was also trying to buy us time, I don't know who to explain it but if we didn't make our move when she gives us an opportunity then we won't get another one afterwards.

_"Ones who ask you for help, may the King of the sea; Poseidon punish your cowardice." She finished._

Right when she started up again I pushed the door open enough for us to squeeze in, we didn't have any time to see if the men were looking our way or not but we went on ahead anyway. I drop rolled and stopped behind the pillar and Gray pretty much did the same thing, in order to not get caught any further we moved quickly to another cover behind desks. Right when we reached our second cover one of the men spoke up.

_"I don't believe you."_

* * *

**So I had asked before about whom I should put the viewpoint as when the two will meet and I got some pretty nice suggestions. But because it was damn hard to decide I kind of am going for a mix, I don't know how to place the explanation so all of you can understand so I'm just going to post it as it. Hopefully you'll understand by reading it.**

**Comment &amp; Review. Thanks.**


	11. Chapter 11: Save Me

**Chapter 11**

* * *

(Lucy)

The soldier stood straighter and declared he didn't believe me, not that wasn't true but it would've been a nice reaction if he did believed, even if it had just a little truth. I made sure to keep my face as calm as possible as I saw the door open behind and two people rushing in without a sound. They were quick and far to fast for me to get a good look at their features but it almost looked like one had salmon colored hair? But I could be wrong...

"You can't curse us, you don't have that power. It's pathetic that you're even trying to threaten us, we're leaving you behind so it really doesn't matter if we kill you or not." He said coolly.

I shivered and hoped he didn't notice, he was right, they are fully capable of killing me here and now just before leaving me to rot in this god forsaken tank.

The thought annoyed me and my eyebrows came together in frustration, guess that wasn't a good idea to show my emotions because he saw my change in aptitude and decided to do what he claimed. He shot me -more like he shot at me- the bullet pierced the glass as if it were nothing. The liquid that could hardly be called water started flooding out of the bullet hole in the glass, I thanked that it would take longer than usual sense it's heavier and thinker than normal.

The jerk smiled and then left followed by the three other men that looked like they still kind of believed my curse; I felt satisfied with that for now.

They left the room with a slam of the door; I continued to watch the closed door, waiting to see if they would might suddenly decided to turn back and open the doors to finish me off. Once I deemed them gone for good I scanned the room for the two mysterious people who sneaked in without any effort.

It didn't appear like they wanted to come out right away so I waited for them to come out of their own accord. They stilled didn't come out so I did what any normal person would do, call out if any body was there.

"Hello? I know you two are in here, I saw you come in." I called, trying not to sound threatening; not that I could.

There was a shuffling then came out a raven haired man, his handsome and really geared up from head to toe that has a similar get up as the men who just left moments ago. He froze the moment his eyes landed on me; I not surprised, it was the same reaction I got when the fishermen first pulled me out of the water.

With my heightened hearing I could hear him mumble to himself.

"Seriously? They're real? ... I can't believe it."

After a moment, as if his partner was getting impatient so he decides to step out of the shadows. Both his and my eyes widened immediately; I was right! One of them did have a salmon hair color; his mouth hung open with aww and stayed that way when finally the raven head returned from his temporary shock. He elbowed the pink haired male in the side to snap him back to reality.

The pink haired motioned some hand signals to his partner then turned to me, his eyes, a set of serious eyes; looked at me. I was a little to baffled to realize that the tanks contents started to drain faster and that the light green goo was already running off of my golden blond hair. The air touched my scalp and I panicked, dunking my head under the nasty stuff that's meant to keep me alive.

Essentially I can't be out of the water to long and despite this stuff I'm in is utterly disgusting and annoying, it still provided the natural contents from water that keeps me healthy and alive. I sank down to the bottom of the tank and I tried slowing the flow out with my hands; my muscles ached, I could barely keep the pressure on glass.

The glass cracked under my hand and a large line stretched up to the top of the tube, the glass began to squeak and I knew the glass container wasn't going to last much longer. I looked up to see the salmon haired man rush over despite his expression showing he didn't want to approach me recklessly. He didn't know what I was capable of and not to mention he was going through a reality crises.

He stopped short 4 feet away, his eyes going from -on guard- to worried. The glass screamed louder this time, the sound a little to sharp for comfort. I looked up to she the top of the green heavy water-like substance rapidly descends upon me. I though hard about what to do, how to get out of this alive, am I able to trust the two strangers here?

My brain was going through and through scenarios and questions to benefits and the consequences, which was my better option and which one wasn't?

I didn't have any more time to think when another crack speed all across and around the tube and then it gave way.

The glass shattered and the remaining goo washed me out just in time to avoid the lid of the tube that came breaking down when it's support broke. My tail slid across some glass that lie broken on the floor; small shards dug into my scaled skin and I clenched my jaw in pain. When I finally came to a stop I was a good 6 feet away from the disaster call a prison.

I was finally free but to no avail, if I don't find a way to get into water sooner or later I'll be a dead mermaid either way. I quick looked at my only option now; the to human males that stood shocked and motionless that are in the same room as me. With nothing to lose and no other options left for me to use I called out to them for help.

"Please. Save me."

* * *

**Finally! I finally managed to finish this chapter! For unknown reasons I was having trouble writing this up, I already knew what I wanted to happen and how it was going to go but for some odd reason the sentences I typed down just didn't seem to add up to my expectations. Either way I'm glad I managed to get through with it without any major disappointing moments.**

**Thank you to those of you who were waiting patiently for me to get my ass in gear and actually pick this story up again after my ridiculously long ****vacation from it. **

**And especially to a really nice Guest who mentioned 'Saved' when he/she reviewed on my story 'Recovery'. ****I'm glad you cared enough to even mention it on my Recovery's comment&amp;review box, it made me extremely happy that there was someone who was looking out for my next update for not just Recovery but Saved as well.**

**So thank you very much! I dedicated this fresh new update after a long break to you, dear Guest. I hope you like it!**

**Comment &amp; Review. Thanks.**


	12. Chapter 12: Bomb Threat

**Chapter 12**

* * *

(Natsu)

I seriously couldn't believe my eyes when I first laid eyes on her.

I had gotten impatient with waiting when after Gray had already stepped out of the shadows, there was no sound of gunfire or scuffling so I knew the coast was clear. But I wasn't expecting anything close to what I was looking at now.

There, before us was a giant glass container filled with slightly tinted green water and what really got my jaw to drop was the beautiful mermaid who was staring right back at me with a similar shocked expression. Her golden blond hair tinted a nasty shade but even though, it flowed around her face in a beautiful and alluring way.

A heavy silence ran across the air until Gray elbowed me in the rib, I jerked at the jab and quickly shifted back into leader mode. I did the hand chop motion towards the door giving Gray his orders to keep watch for any unwanted guest. Gray spared the legendary creature one last glance before moving his way to the double doors.

I returned my sights on the mermaid in the now much lowered liquid content, the bullet hole was obviously the reason and the stuff leaking out looked heavy and slow to escape. The mermaid looked frightened when she dunked back down under the unknown substance. She franticly tried to cover up the gapping hole in the glass with her two small hands.

My mind raced about what to do and how to make sense of everything but it seems like time wasn't on our hands as a massive crack jetted upwards from the bleeding hole. The young mermaid looked up and then back at me with eyes that clearly knew what was to come next.

I had instinctively moved forward in worry, I wanted to help but stop mid way and froze at the realization that I didn't know what to do. Usually I would have some ridiculous plans pilling up in the back of my mind but this time I was completely stumped.

The glass tube screeched sharply that it almost made my ears bleed; the mermaid looked at me with fear and then the glass shattered and the container lid fell.

I couldn't tell if the mermaid got crushed or not as the liquid and shattered glass scattered everywhere, in the corner of my eye I saw flash of golden hair. I followed it until the body of a half human girl and a fish came to a stop. Her tail looked like it just went through a cheese gratter and shards or glass stuck into her sides; from fin to shoulder.

When she stopped sliding she shot up clearly ignoring her pain and looked at me directly in the eye and said three words that made my adrenaline shoot through the roof.

"Please. Save me."

~*O*~

Gray and I each had an arm over our shoulders as we moved as fast as we could through the concret hall. I checked the map at every turn and split in the path, trying to make our way back to the others. The poor mermaid has been in and out of consciousness since we picked her off the floor. Every now and then she would mumble a name and something along the lines like 'it was her duty'.

We turned yet another corner when Gajeel's voice crackled in our earpieces.

"Salamander, we got a serious problem." Gajeel's voice sounded strain, as if he was struggling to hold something off. Grays face became haunted and my own; serious.

"Explain the situation Iron Eater. Are you in contact with the enemy now?" My voice low.

In our ear pieces, sounds of what could be a punch followed by a smack that strongly sounded like Gajeel hitting his opponent with the back of his gun. came through. The radio went silent for a moment then the familiar crackling came back along with Gajeels out of breath voice.

"You got that right! Who ever these guys are, they ain't our ally. From the surveillance feed I can see them killing off anyone who's here, regardless if they've come to save the animals or not."

"So you're telling us they just up and joined the fray when it's not even their fight? They've got to be here for a reason." Gray spoked out.

"..."

"Look I ain't got all the answers, I'm just reporting." Gajeel finally retorted back with a bit of annoyance in his deep voice.

"Levy...got to...sav..ee.." Gray and I looked at the semi conscious girl between us.

"Who's that?" Gajeel pointed out.

I gave a look to Gray and he looked me with the same knowing eyes; with smirks on our lips we replied.

"A rare animal."

~*o*~

With much more rush we finally made it back to the same room we left Elfman in; before abruptly entering I let go of the girl to make sure no one had ambushed the big man and was just waiting for us to return.

I knock on the door with 3 consecutive knocks followed by 4 more with two-second intervals. No reply.

"Beast, it's us. Salamander and Ice, we're coming in."

I twisted the knob and slowly pushed the metal door, gun at the ready. The room was dark but most certainly not silent. The mixture of heavy breaths, whining, whimpering and growling, made it rather hard to hear anything. It was no wonder Elfman didn't hear his knock nor his voice. Hence the moment Beast sensed a presence behind him, he swung around with his twitchy finger on the trig of his weapon.

4-6 shots were accidentally fired and I had to literally jump out of the way landing rather ungracefully on my stomach. Gray ducked just in time to miss one that was dead set to hit right between the eyes.

"Watch it Beast! You trying to kill us!?" Gray barked over the animal's voices.

Elfman let go of his weapon and it crashed to the ground in a heap, his eyes wide and shocked at what he just done.

I got back on my feet and brushed off the thick layer of dust that clung to my bulletproof vest. Elfman passed me a worried look as if I was going to scold him for shooting at us but at the moment we should be more concerned with moving all the current animals we have now, out.

"CODE: BLACk, I repeat; CODE: BALCK!" Gajeel's voice boomed through all of our earpieces.

I quick moved to the door and to check for any near by threat then signaled the two others to get into advantageous positions if confronted.

"Copy that. Code:Black, bomb threat confirmed?"

"...*_Static_ ..."

"Iron Eater, confirm!?" I said again more forcibly, as if willing him to just answer.

"Fuck me!..._*(more static)_ ... We got...to ...outside now! They're...with the radio waves... Shit! SALAMANDER GET THE FUCK OUT OF THERE!"

* * *

**So its been a while since I last updated, obviously. I hope you can forgive me.**

**At the moment I don't have all that much to say but thanks for all the support up until now, it has urdged me to continue and try writing again after having writers block for a long time.**

**If my writing is a little astatic, sorry, its has been a while.**

**I decided to pick this one first before picking up on Recovery, that one is a little be more complicated than this one (LOL)**


	13. Chapter 13: Moving Out

**Chapter 13**

* * *

(Lucy)

"...SALAMANDER GET THE FUCK OUT OF THERE!"

Even though everything sounded muffled; chaotic, and I should be worrying about how to get out of this hellish place and survive but in my drowsiness I could only think of Levy. Where she is right now? How she'll be treated from now on? now that they only have one mermaid in their possession. Will she still be the Levy I knew before this mess up? Or will she even still be alive?

It hurt to think about it but it was all that invaded my thoughts.

The only shoulder that was holding me off the ground suddenly stiffened and shortly after I was slowly being lowered to the ground. My numb wounds touched the freezing floor and I could feel my body reject the touch immediately.

"Shit, sorry."

Whom ever was putting me down apologized, his voice sounded strained and I started to wondered what was happening around me. It was the first thought I had that didn't involve Levy and it slightly relaxed me. My eyes fluttered open, just when the ground shock and crumbs from the ceiling came falling down on my face forcing me to close my eyes once again.

_"That. Does not sound **or** feel good. We need to get out- like now!"_

_"Our mission is to rescue as many of the rare animals these people gathered up here. We can't just abandoned them."_

_"Well fine, go ahead and tell that to Master! That is if we even get out of here alive! Let's just take the mermaid with us and bail."_

_"..."_

_"Just because she's a mythical creature doesn't mean she has priority above all the rest of the animals. They're just as rare."_

_"Urgh. You~ have Flames for brains, you know that!?"_

_"Can it, Ice cube. We got a job to do and we're doing it."_

_"Guys's she's waking up!" _the voice I could tell would be the one called 'Beast'.

I peeked through one eye first then opened the other allowing my eyes to adjust, a head of spiky white hair and a very manly face appeared into my field of vision. Then the raven head who I saw early poked his head in too, both their face's were grim but they had a faint concern hidden in their eyes.

I was just wondering about what happened to the salmon head boy when, there he was squatting right above me and his face a few inches apart from mine. His onyx eyes bore deep into me like he was searching if I was lying to him, like I was guilty of something but then again it also felt like he was simply just trying to understand me... Probably still having a hard time believing what I am.

"Wat..er" were my first word, I wasn't even planning to say that, instead something more along the lines of a 'hello'.

"Can't stay...out. of water for too long." I managed to say with a soar and very dry throat.

I tried again to speak, to let them know that if for to long I'll die of dehydration; nothing but a sad dry groan came out instead.

There was some shuffling and moving about until the pinkette showed up again with a bucket of water, roughly the size of my own head. I looked at it with longing and he looked back with a face that clearly stated he didn't know what to do with it.

My body had already started to feel again and the stinging pain of my wounds started to sink in. I was already grateful that they had remove the 'secondary spin of pain' but now I'm simply grateful to feel anything at all. Feeling pain meant I was still alive and while I'm alive I can still save Levy. With a pained groan I lifted my hand to do some type of signal that meant to tell him, 'just dumb it on me'. At first I wasn't sure if he got it or not and was about to give him the sign again when water came splashing all all over my face -not all over my body- just my face.

"Idiot, don't just dumb it all on her face, she's a mermaid; spread it on the rest of her too. Dumbass." The raven head said with an exasperated sigh.

"Sorry." The pink haired boy said while squatted back down.

Even though the amount of water wasn't enough to sustain me for long I was still happy there was any in the first place. With this much I can at lest speak normally. I cleared my throat to test the feel and it was still a bit dry but good enough for me to explain a few things.

"Ummm." I started but got interrupted by a tremor in the cold floor under me.

"Salamander, we can't stay, we have to get out of here and soon if I may add." The big manly one said while trying to calm the rest of the animal in the room along with us.

The one called Salamander looked at him in response then looked at the handsome raven head, he then put one of his hand to his ear.

"Iron Eater, respond. I repeat; Iron Eater, respond."

Silence.

"Iron..."

_"Copy; Iron Eater here. On my way to you. Enemy hot on pursuit, begin extraction immediately!"_

"Copy that." Salamander suddenly said.

I didn't understand, was he speaking to somebody? But who? My super hearing seemed to had failed me this time. The other two boys in the room didn't reply, just looked into space with serious expressions.

Salamander stood back up and motioned the two others to come closer, they followed his orders. They gathered into a three man circle and the man called Salamander started talking.

"Alright, we're in a pinch. Everything's against us, we have enemy on all sides included the very building we're in. BUT. Being in a pinch...Is our specialty. Let's do this!" He gave his partners a smirk.

"Ice you are to man the front, you have permission to shot anyone who isn't Iron Eater." Salamander looked at the raven head with a confident stare.

He turned to the big man next. "Beast I expect you to control these animals on our way out, we can't afford to have them running out of control while we make our way to the exit."

"I'll carry the mermaid from the back." He added lastly.

Salamander sounded like a leader to me, honestly I didn't need to be told that he was one. The two other boys went into action, Ice went straight for the door with gun at the ready. Beast went and gathered the animals of various species, mostly composed of the dog or cat family. And Salamander came back over to me and crouched down while as gently as he could, picked me up.

I could feel from his touch that he was doing his best not to cause me anymore pain than necessary.

"I'm going to need you to hold onto me by the back of my neck, I'll hold your tail in one arm so I can still work my gun if anyone tries to sneak up on us from behind. We'll be out of here soon, so please bare with it for now." He said.

I couldn't help notice a small scar on the left side of his neck when I wrapped my arms around him. I was about to poke it out of curiosity when he suddenly stood up and gravity tried taking me back down forcing me to tightened my hold around his neck and losing my trail of thought entirely.

He adjusted his hold on my tail with his left arm and then firmly gripped his gun in the other. He gave me a nod and we moved out.

* * *

**I know no matter how much I apologies will never make up for not updating for so damn long! But I'm going to say sorry anyways. **

**Thanks to an awesome fan of this story : ShyGirl2000. I've written up this chapter for the sake of this beloved follower. **

**I can't thank you enough for all the support and obviously the constant mentioning of when I should be updating. If not for that, I probably wouldn't even think of starting up the story again any time soon. Although I can't make promises about being on a steady schedule. On behalf of the New Year I give you this latest chapter!**

**Happy New Year Everyone! #2016**

**Wish me the best of luck and hope that I'll get my butt in gear to get moving onto the next chapter soon.**


	14. Chapter 14: Unlock that Door!

**Chapter 14**

* * *

(Natsu)

We were moving quickly through the dimly lit corridor, making our way to our escape. Iron Eater (Gajeel) met up with us four turns ago; gun at the ready and eyes darting around, searching for an enemy who could jump out at any moment. Probably since it's already happened a couple of times on his way to re-group. I have since passed on my duty to guarding the back to him. Now being able to concentrate more on not dropping the mermaid in my arms.

Speaking of which, she was breathing rather dryly and… kinda drying up like a prune. I remembered her saying something like not going without water for to long, so when we took our next corner, we focused more on watching for water rather than rushing.

We found some but there wasn't much -considering they were only droplets- but it was still water so we stopped and I let some drip onto her shoulders, followed by one or two on her tail.

We couldn't afford to let her have much more. Time was simply not on our side. She looked a little better but not by much; though she was still fading in and out consciousness.

Another tremors shook the walls forcing us to press on.

Gray stopped abruptly and his gun shot up in an instant -everyone followed suit. I trained my eyes on him; thinking how stupidly wax statue-esc he looked being so still.

After a moment of silence, we started moving again but this time slowly; Gray's every step was taken with absolute care. Silence was his goal as we all shifted into stealth mode- which was completely pointless when all the animals were crying and whining from directly behind him.

Without warning, rapid fire came at us and we had to fling ourselves to the walls beside us. Sadly 3 of the rare dog breeds went down and 2 were left injured.

"Crap." Gray mumbled.

The gun fire promptly stopped.

"сдать сдать животных или умереть ." (sdat' zhivotnykh ili umeret' / Surrender the animals or die.)

A deep Russian voice yelled as a head popped out of the coming corner.

I check on the mermaid before I looking to Gray. She was tired and looked sickly pail; her tail even seemed a shade lighter.

When Gray and I made eye contact, it was like we just knew what to do from here. There was no time to think about how the Russians got here or why; no time to think about their objective, there was only one thing on our minds: Escape.

In a split second Gray lifted his gun and fired, suppressing the enemy. I turned to eye Elfman and Gajeel, but of course Gajeel was already on the move and was rushing Elfman along with the animals. The large man quickly lifted the two injured animals into his arms and ran on ahead of Gray and I to take the next turn ahead of us.

Grays shots stopped every 5 bullets to save ammo as much as possible, once both Elfman and the animals disappeared around the corner Gajeel speedily followed.

I darted across the hall then inched to the turn, I did a quick peek and saw the coast was clear and without further ado, I chased after Gajeel and Elfman.

I could still hear Gray's spurts of gunfire, and judging from the echoes on the walls, he was slowing backing away from the enemy. Next thing I knew he appeared beside me, running.

The look on his face definitely shadowed bad news. I didn't need to say anything for him to know I wanted the details that caused that dark look as soon as were free from immediate danger.

At the end of the tunnel, there was one single door and no other means of escape in sight. If we get cornered now, we'd have nowhere to hide.

We arrived and Elfman took no time at all to check if it was unlocked. When the damn knob didn't turn he turned back to me with a look of 'what now?' plastered on his face. I used my gun to motion Gray to move to the front and get his hands on breaking that lock. Then eyed Gajeel to guard the back while I put down the sickly mermaid.

I lowered her with as much grace as I could, but at this point it couldn't even be called grace. The least I could do was not let her head slam into the cement flooring. Right when I let her head rest on the ground, she began to groan; her eye lashes fluttered open for a moment but proceeded to once again close when she realized she didn't have the energy to keep them open.

"Where…" Her beautiful voice sounded sickeningly hoarse, as if she had swallowed a mouth full of sand.

"No time to properly explain –sorry, things aren't exactly going as planned. You'll have to go without water for a while longer." I explained, half whispering.

She groaned again in reposed. Clearly she didn't like the idea of going any longer with out water, her pale skin started to crack like the dry desert ground outside. With a weak hand she reached up and grabbed hold of the collar of my bulletproof vest to pull me closer.

"Water…" She demanded.

I 'tsk'd' starting to feel rather aggravated. I already knew she needed it, but come on! It's not like there's any water fountains near by. Not to mention we got other things to worry about on top of that.

Instead of saying anything in return, I got back up, readied my gun and made my way over to Gray.

"Ice, how's it coming along?" I took a quick peek at his progress.

"Surprisingly difficult, damn things giving me trouble." Gray groaned when he felt his pin slip from its position.

"How much longer? We're on a time limit here, and we have no idea how much we have left."

"I know damn it!" Gray replied in frustration.

"Salamander!" Elfman called.

I turned my attention to see what the hell he wanted and found out why instantly. The mermaid was pushing her upper body up and off the floor. The arm she leaned on was shaking uncontrollably, and her whole structure looking completely exhausted, but she held herself up. Her head was hanging low and her slowly drying hair covered her expression.

"M-Move…Move… Out of the… Way." Her voice came out breathy, but her demand was clear.

She lifted her head and gave Gray and I a look of warning.

"I said… MOVE!" The hissed loudly.

Gray and I couldn't help but react to her demand and practically jumped away from the door when there wasn't any need to.

We watch baffled as she took a moment to stare at the door then suddenly she lifted her free hand as if she was holding a key in it. With a twist of her wrist, the next thing we heard was the faint sound of a locked door… becoming unlocked. The click sound made me and Gray look at the knob, confusion plainly written on our faces. We turned the exact expression on the mermaid.

She was lower to the ground now, leaning all her weight on her elbow and panting like she just ran a marathon. We were about to question her when Gajeel interrupted.

"We've got company coming and I hate to say this, that they ain't friendlies." Gajeel yelled over his shoulder.

Based on his stance Gajeel was already on 'trigger happy' mode. Which wasn't a good thing. Whenever Gajeel get's like that, it ways some seriously bad news. He took a step back followed by another.

"Better get that door open and those animals out of here, cause shits about to go down!" He spoke dryly.

I quickly told Gray to open the door and get Elfman and the animals through. He jumped into gear after a moments hesitation. It was obvious he still wasn't sure how to believe the door miraculously became unlocked on its own.

He threw the door open and Elfman didn't bother with questions, instead focusing on the job at hand. I motioned for Gray to take the mermaid this time.

I positioned myself beside Gajeel, my stance similar but slightly different. My hearing stretched and I could now understand why Gajeel was so on edge. My face turned grim with the sounds I was hearing.

Multiple accents jumbled together, three of which I could tell belonged to Russian, Chinese, and English. A couple others I wasn't sure of but I could definitely tell there were at least five others mixed in. Gajeel stiffened suddenly, obviously hearing something I missed.

"Not good."

Is all he managed to say when the whole underground structure began to shake; knocking me off balance bring me down to one knee, right as a group of men rounded the corner.


	15. Chapter 15: She's the Key

**Chapter 15**

* * *

(Lucy)

I felt my body lowering back to the ground, my curiosity got the better of me and I tried to open my eyes to see what was going on. It was a lot harder than I expected, I could barely keep my eyes open for a second. But in that few seconds I saw a glimpse of that mans unique salmon colored hair.

"Where..." I manage to groan out despite my throat burning.

"No time to properly explain -sorry, things aren't exactly going as planned. You'll have to go without water for a while longer." He explained hurriedly.

I couldn't help the annoyed groan that escaped my throat; only to make it burn more, like it wasn't on fire already. My body needed water soon and I drew on the need for survival to reach out and grab hold of him. Though my eyes were closed I could tell it was the protective gear strapped to his chest that I grabbed hold of.

"Water..." I said a little forcefully.

I got a 'tsk' in return. I so wanted to tell him off and tell 'don't you 'tsk' me!' but I was lacking in the 'energy to speak' department

I heard him get back up and move away from me, the moment he was out of reach I felt a tang of fear pull at my insides. That familiar feeling brought back the worry of my beloved friend Levy.

As I lay there, I thought of all the ways I'd rip the bastard who's responsible; to millions of peaces. I came up with at least 4 different way right off the bat until I was brought back to reality.

"How much longer? We're on a time limit here and we have no idea how much we have left" Salamander said with a hint of impatiences.

"I know damn it!" The one I know as Ice said in an angry tone.

Being so dehydrate dampened my senses but I could clearly tell that something wasn't right and that we needed to get out of here soon.

As much as it hurts I began to push my upper body up off the ground. The arm that I use to support my weight was shaking like crazy and hurt so much I felt like I was on the brink of passing out again. Even so I .forced myself to stay up, even while my head felt like a 300 pound rock.

"Move... Move. Out of the. Way." It was so hard to breath I barely managed to say that sentence let alone want to repeat myself.

What I was about to do needed my full attention; my utmost focus. I need to see my goal and when I sense they have yet to move out of the way. I groaned inwardly. I took a deep breath and readied my lungs.

"I said. Move out of the way!" I raised my voice, I was going for a yell but...

They finally jumped out of the way and I had full view of the lock. I let my eyes do the rest, my mind taken over by my heighten senses.

Inside my head I could see the inner workings of the lock, where each pressure key need to stop and which ones didn't need touching. Once I figured out the shaped of the missing key, I then lifted my free hand up as if the key was in my hand for real and used my minds eye to create a mental image of that very key; inserting itself in the key hole and turning in sync the same time my hand twisted.

When I heard the confirmed click of the lock I let out a relived breath. The momentary relief was completely replaced as I was flooded with dizziness and my supporting arm could no longer hold me up.

My arm slept and I drop onto my elbow sending a painful shock up to my shoulder. My lungs protested against the pure oxygen surrounding me on all sides. I felt like I was drying up; I literally was as I felt my skin crack.

Not a good sign.

"We got company coming and I hate to say this; they ain't friendlies." Iron Eater said from behind me.

Further confirming my bad feeling before. Making me glad I pushed myself to unlock that door for them or else we wouldn't have had any time.

I let myself slowly slid back down to lay on the floor, my bones felt like they can break any second now and my lungs felt like they've already been ripped out of my torso.

Although I feel like my body is being torn apart limp from limp, it isn't comparable to the pain of loss I'm feeling for Levy. Losing her felt like a hundred-thousand butcher knives chopping away slowly at my heart.

I could feel myself slowly drift back to unconsciousness and the last thing I heard clearly was the voice of Iron Eater's; 'Not good.' Then I was out. Darkness washed over me like a wave on the beach. Reminding me of the sea I belong in, I welcomed the feeling and I relaxed in my delusion of freedom.

~*O*~

_A/N: From this point it has been re-worded form the original (In case you're re-reading the story and noticed it isn't the same as it was)_

When I finally came too I was no longer inside the build and oddly enough, I preferred indoors. Probably because of the freakn' blazing hot sun burning me to a crisp. Almost literally.

I'm in critical condition now, if I don't get water in the next couple of minutes I'm going to crumble to dust.

Besides the suns burning touch, I'm no longer able to feel or sense anything else. My surroundings were lost to numbness and my conscious slowly following it even after coming back too.

I mentally apologized to Levy. I wasn't strong enough to save her. I wasn't even strong enough to save myself. Now she was going to be left to her own devices and other than me, no one was going to be able to save her.

I whimpered internally at the sad thought. As my mind started to slip and finally be over come by numb darkness, I felt a tingling sensation moving in waves; up and down my body followed with relief. It continued a couple more times and then there was a pause and I sadly though it was over.

With most of the pain now go I had enough consciousness to open my eyes but before I could even open them a splash of water hit my face. I squeezed my eyes shut tight on impact, too shocked to realize that it technically wouldn't have harmed me because it was water. My element. Although, refreshing, it was hardly necessary.

After the initial shock my senses returned to me along with my awareness of my surroundings, sadly still under the hot yellow ball in the sky. I shifted enough to understand that I was propped in a sitting position, slightly leaning on a warm/wet rock that supported my back.

"She looks a lot better." Beasts voice came from somewhere beside me.

"That's an understatement. She was practically falling apart before." Ice added.

I opened my eyes slowly, worried that another splash to the face might be already lined up. When it never came I took this chance to see everyone standing around me. Directly in front of me was Salamander, holding a now empty bucket with the biggest grin I ever seen on his childish face.

My eyebrows frowned at the feeling of deja-vu. I mean really. That's the second time he dumped water only at my face.

"We got plenty of water supply now, so there's no need to worry." Beast stepped forward.

"Looks like she'll be fine until our pick-up arrives." Salamander said while standing himself up.

"We may not have to worry about water for now but we still have enemy hostiles in the area. We're no exactly in the clear." Iron Eater spoke up.

"Both the animals are to exhausted to keep moving and the mermaid can't leave this waterhole. Be a man and let met rest!" Beast yelled as he fist pumped at the air.

Iron Eater flicked his tongue and turned his back to the big man. I remained still and simply watched them, it was kind of entertaining. They get along but then again they don't at the same time. How odd.

I let their chatter/bickering fade into the background as I stare up at the sky.

So this is what they wake up and see every day. It's so similar yet so different than the sea. I imagined myself swimming as if I was back home in the sea but instead of being engulfed by water; I was swimming in their sky.

The thought broke when Salamander came forward and squatted directly in front of me in order to be face to face. He made sure to establish eye contact before speaking.

"So. How exactly is it that a mermaid exists? Mind explaining yourself?" He said.

* * *

**As all of you guys know. I've been very un-active as of late. Well the best explanation is that I have minor writers block. Every once in a while I'll be in the mood but more often then not I'm unable to get anything out and actually type anything worth posting. So...Here's another friendly warning that I'll be posting with long periods of time between chapters. So please be patient.**


	16. Chapter 16: Hostiles

**Chapter 16**

* * *

(Natsu)

_Previously: "Not good!"_

_Is all he managed to say when the whole underground structure began to shake; knocking me off balance and bring me down onto one knee. Just as a group of men rounded the corner._

* * *

I was quick to get back on my feet but as soon as we got our footing and managed to re-positioned our weapons to point at our new enemy, they had in turn done the same. Sadly we were severely out numbered.

We stood at a stalemate, frozen with our gun barrels pointed at one another. Suddenly one of them decided to step forward.

"Hand over the mermaid!" A heavy Russian accent came from one of them at the back of the group.

'Like hell we'll just hand her over' I though internally not daring to say anything out loud quite yet.

"What reason do you have to want the mermaid?" Elfman asked, defensively stepping forward.

The enemies cocked their guns simultaneously at Elfman's motion. My teams bodies stiffened at their response and in my perpetual vision I could tell they were all ready for a shoot out to happen any second.

Taking my eyes off the enemy wasn't a good idea so the only thing I could do was shoot out my had and give them the signal to stand down, for now. Gajeel grumbled his protest from behind my back and luckily held himself back.

I scanned the other group intently, gauging their forces. For a while we just stared back at one another until one of them came forward, splitting the group to make his way to the front.

This one puffed his chest in superiority as if he was better than the rest of his squad. He cleared his though gruffly for effects.

"It's of none of your concern as to 'why' we want the mermaid. Just hand her over and we can part ways without wasting any of our bullets." He tipped his head back to look down his nose like he was looked down at dirt stuck on his shoes.

That stuck a nerve.

"Who are you kidding! You'll most likely shoot us down the moment we turn our backs after turning her over." Gray barked back, the man's snobbish attitude clearly got under his skin.

The man nodded his head while he sealed his lip in a thin sarcastic line; he then started pacing. He went one direction, spun on his heel and then paced the other direction. All the while Gray never took his guns sights off him.

"True," he jokingly waved his pointer at Gray; still pacing,. "We can do that too," he said.

He then abruptly stopped, striking his heels together and straitening his back military style.

"But we like to try and stay civilized at times like these, albeit they usually never end civilly." His eyes were looking into the distance as if remembering past experiences his been ins similar situations.

"By the looks of things being civilized hasn't been an option since you stepped forward" Gajeel mumbled loudly enough for the whole of us to hear.

"I suppose you would see it that way since your quite out numbered," he swiped his hand across the shire size of his associates. "You most likely see this situation a one way exchange, as you so well stated earlier. What was it you said?…'You'll most likely shoot us down the moment we turn our backs?'" he tapped his chin in a kind of thinking action.

He snapped his fingers which echoed down the silent tunnels. "See here. I'll promise you that we will not kill you if you willingly hand over the mermaid," he smirked as if he won us over already.

Was he really serious!? Did he honestly think we were just going to hand her over with out a good enough reason for the exception of their suppose 'promise' not to kill us? Like hell! As I was internally raging at his preposterous idea of a clean trade, he spoke again.

"So what do you say?" He extended his hand in expecting me to 'shake' on it.

While I stared at his hand for a moment, my thoughts raced around inside my head. Our mission is to rescue the rare breads held here which goes against the 'animal rights' law. But they aren't the same men who took the rare breads in the first place.

The mermaid has clear signs of torture from the people who originally ran this place and these people infiltrated this facility using brute force, bee-lining for the mermaid 'only'. There are plenty of other rare breads in the room with us but yet the want just the mermaid, demanding to hand her over or at the cost of our lives. How un-trust worthy can they get?

I tilted my head slightly down enough for my bangs to cover the emotion my eyes would show. Rage boiled just beneath the surface and I had to greet my teeth together to contain an angry growl.

"We sure as hell won't hand over the mermaid to a snob like you people." I grunted out.

"Oh?" he questioned me like I just suddenly turned into an annoying cockroach. "Well if you won't hand her over peacefully… We'll just have to take her by force!"

He went for his gun but Gray who was just waiting for this moment; took his shot. Three echoing 'BANGS' rang out as Gray pulled his trigger in three consecutive shots. The snobbish mans life was gone with three bullets to the head.

There as was a moment of silents as we watched his lifeless body crumpled to the ground and right when it hit the floor it was like someone flipped a switch. His squad open fired, not caring much for a target as they retried backwards to a more maneuverable distance.

Bullets zoomed by our heads, some were to close for comfort and others were complete misses. Luckily my team is well trained as they slowly picked off one after another and it being in such tight quarters it was easy picking but not so much luck for the apposing side. We extraordinarily haven't been hit yet.

"Beast! The door! NOW!" I holler over the cries of multiple semi-automatic guns.

Elfman jumped into gear at my command and yanked the door open almost taking the whole thing off its hinges in the process. He didn't bother to notices since there was not time to care, he quickly rushed the animals through the small doorway and some how, miraculously the rest of them escaped without injury.

When they were all through I made a command to Gajeel and Gray to cover me while I picked up the unconscious mermaid. Once she was securely in my arms; princess hug style, I made for the door.

I keep running without looking back, knowing that my crew was just behind watching my back for me.

We didn't have time to pause and search for water the mermaid was growing desperately in need for, as we were in the middle of escaping. But as we're running I noticed that the mermaid was starting to crumble apart, like when mud dries up it becomes brittle the more it dries. Making our situation more dire than it already Is.

Gray moved up to run at my side and with just one look at the mermaid he couldn't hide his frown. At first I could hardly believe what was happening either but her weight grew lighter by the minute and her skin began to feel like sand. Gray's extremely perturbed expression confirmed my worries; she was dying.

After running for a while and taking more twists and turns we finally reached an exit point. My first reaction to it was to check behind us to see if we had been followed. There path behind us was empty, thank god!

Once we were finally outside I curse under my breath at the blazing sun for the first time in my life. I glanced down at the mermaid in my arms and my heart couldn't help but skip a bit.

She was in a much worst condition that before. Her skin started to crack like the desert ground and with every rough and dry breath her body would shake like an earthquake.

"Find water, now! We'll lose the mermaid otherwise." I barked.

We split up to search but stayed close enough that if we were to be ambushed we could re-group easily using Elfman as our center point. Somehow Elfman and his animal whispering skills managed to get some of the dog types to help in the search as well.

We walked high paced while searching for a water source. The mermaid shuttered and whimpered as another quake racked her body and the tremors only got worst over time. I was starting to lose hope when finally Elfman called for us to re-group.

I was eager to get her some water so I jugged the rest of the way to Elfman and when I reached him I couldn't hide the relief I felt at that moment. There at Elfman's feet was a small watering hole! It was shallow but deep enough to get half way submerged and even though it was mucky it was water none the less.

I slowly lowered her down into the water and made sure to prompt her back on the biggest rock at the edge hoping she would be vaguely comfortable. Once I believed she was settled I went in search for something to scoop the water but when I turned around Elfman was there holding out a bucket for me to use.

I couldn't help be baffled and confused, "how…when?" I stuttered out dumbly.

"I thought it would come in handy later one so I strapped it to the back of my belt." Elfman half turned and pointed to the hook at the back of his utility belt.

My mouth opened and my lip shaped themselves into a baffled 'Oh' fashion. After the initial disbelief left me I gave him a thank you nod and took the bucket out of his hands.

I bent back down beside the unconscious mermaid and started scooping up some water. I waited until if was full the the brim, once full, I went to give her a good splash to the face when Gray interrupted me with a comment.

"Maybe this time you could refrain from dumping the the whole thing on only her face."

I shot him a glare, it's not like I always do it on purpose! This time, if I wasn't stopped, I wouldn't have even though about why I did. It was an unconscious thing.

"Shut up Ice face! It's not like there's a specific way of hydrating a mermaid!" I shot back.

"Right~ Then how about pouring the water onto the rest of her instead of concentrating it only on her head. Saving the rest of her from turning into crumbling dirt." Gray raised his hands with an air of sarcasm.

I was so ready to splash the water at him instead but luckily for him Elfman stepped in and reminded me that the mermaid needed it more than my mini payback at Gray.

Main while Gajeel was calling for our pickup and even though he was on the phone he couldn't help but snicker in the background at eavesdropping in our pointless banter. To be even more impressive in his multitasking skills, he still manages to keeping an eye out for enemy hostiles

I focus my attention back on the mermaid and this time making sure to slowly pour the water all over her body. All the while I couldn't help but notice that she had a rather curvy body. A nice rack to boot. All though it made me blush slightly at the sight, it wasn't what really interested me. It was how she was regenerating to quickly. The effects of the water was almost immediate.

After a few more buckets full poured for her body I went for one more to splash her face with. Maybe that will be able to wakes her up so we can finally get some answers.

I positioned myself to launch the water at her face and right when I started flinging the water, I heard Eflman from behind me. Saying something along the lines of; 'look she waking up,' but it was too late.

Her face scrunch on impact and I cringed at the sigh. I muttered a small apology while I put the bucket down. Unable to turn my eye back to her because of regret and slight embarrassment.

"She looking a lot better" Elfman commented from behind me.

"That's an understatement! She was practically falling apart before." Gray added.

Finally I turned my eyes back to her face as she started opening her eyes and as soon as I saw those deep brown irises I couldn't help but giver her a great big grin as a welcoming. Her expression was slightly confused as she looked at me.

"We've got plenty of water supply now, so there' no need to worry" Elfman stepped up.

"Looks like she'll be fin until our pick-up arrives." I added while standing back up.

"We may not have to worry about water for now but we still have enemy hostiles in the area. We're no exactly in the clear." Gajeel interjected while his piercing red eyes scanned the landscape, again, always keeping an eye out for approaching danger.

"Both the animals are to exhausted to keep moving and the mermaid can't leave this waterhole. Be a man and let met rest!" Elfman said while one hand fist pumped the air.

Gajeel clicked his tongue in annoyance and returned to his post as our look out. Giving us the usual cold shoulder we're used to.

There was a bit of silents as our situation sunk into minds and it wasn't long afterwards that we tried to discuss how to handle things if the enemy showed up. Plans were being put out there and the chain of events led to Gray making a comments that made me snap a comment right back at him. And our usual bickering started up again, until Elfman ripped us apart.

I heaved a frustrated sigh once we were forced to let the bantering go. Gray always seems to get under my skin some how, yet there wasn't anyone else I could trust most to look after my back. I took a peak behind me to see Gray standing with his arms crossed and a frown on his face.

In order to refrain from make another snarky remark about his ugly mug I turned my attention back on the mermaid. I walked back to the small waterhole where the mermaid remained silent and stared fascinatingly up at the sky. I waited until her eyes landed back onto mind to squat back down to be at the same eye level.

I made sure we had eye contact when I asked; "So. How exactly is it that a mermaid exists? Mind explaining yourself?"

* * *

**Hi everyone! I know it's been awhile but I can _almost_ promise you that I'll be more active this year than the last. I've made it my new years resolution to actually move this story along. Also I've been talking with my wonderful beta :Millianna422 and our conversations had me realize that I might need an extra beta for when on the occasions their not available. So I'm looking for an extra beta with good grammar skills and a major tolerance to my _extremely_ slow progress. PM if you're willing (*Please note: I'm only looking for a back up beta) -_This notification for an extra beta will be remove once I've found one._ **


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